First weekend of March sees five lives lost on our roads

According to a preliminary report from Western Cape Provincial Traffic Services, five fatalities were recorded on Western Cape roads this past weekend. All five of the recorded fatalities were pedestrians.

Over the weekend, Provincial Traffic Services conducted a total of 23 alcohol blitz operations and stopped a total of 2587 vehicles. Provincial traffic officers arrested 23 motorists for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol on the 3rd and 4th of March 2017. Seven of those arrests were made in George, while four were made in Caledon. The highest breath alcohol reading of 1.01 mg/ 1000 ml was recorded in the Swellendam service area. This was four times the legal limit of 0,24 mg/ 1 000 ml. 

Four other persons were arrested for various transgressions including:

• One for having fraudulent documentation in Swellendam;
• One drunk pedestrian in Vredendal;
• Two for being in possession of narcotic substances at a SAPS roadblock in Paarl

A total of 388 speeding offences were recorded, with 225 fines issued for various violations amounting to R285 700. 
The highest speeds recorded were:

• 176 km/h in a 120 km/h zone on the N1 in the Brackenfell service area.
• 119 km/h in a 100 km/h zone on the N1 in the Beaufort-West service area
• 96 km/h in a 80 km/h zone on the N2 in the Somerset-West service area.
• 94 km/h in a 60 km/h zone in the Oudtshoorn service area.

As the busy Easter period approaches, we continue to urge the public to assist us to create safer roads. The fewer incidents on our roads, the more quickly our response agencies can attend to emergencies. Making our roads safer is a responsibility we share with the citizens of the Western Cape.

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