Nine people killed on Western Cape roads this weekend

A preliminary report from Western Cape Provincial Traffic Services indicates that nine people died on the province’s roads over the long weekend.

A total of 26 motorists were arrested for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol.

• Seven motorists were arrested in the George service area, 
• six in Worcester, 
• three in Caledon, 
• three in Brackenfell, 
• two in Mossel Bay, 
• one in Beaufort West, 
• one in Somerset West, 
• one in Swellendam, 
• one in Knysna, and
• one in Vredendal.

In addition, traffic officers arrested two drivers

• One for overloading in Swellendam, and
• One for possession of drugs in Swellendam.

Breath testing was performed on 2 442 drivers at 24 alcohol blitz roadblocks across the province. The highest breath alcohol reading was recorded in the Caledon service area. At 1,10 mg of alcohol/ 1 000 ml of breath, this is over four times the legal limit of 0,24 mg/ 1 000 ml.

A total of 74 speeding offences were recorded and 244 fines in the total amount of R339 400 were issued for a variety of reasons, ranging from driver offences to vehicle fitness violations.

Highest speeds 

• 158 km/h in a 120 km/h zone in the Beaufort West service area, and
• 116 km/h in a 100 km/h zone in the Laingsburg service area.

Details of road fatalities

Seatbelts are not accessories, they save lives and reduce the risk of injury. Drivers and passengers should always wear seatbelts, even on the shortest journey. Regulations to the National Road Traffic Act provide that children up to the age of three must be in appropriate child restraints when travelling in private vehicles, even on the shortest journey. Wearing a seatbelt could be a difference between life and death. It is not just your own life you are protecting when you do the right thing by buckling up. In a collision, an unrestrained passenger becomes a high-speed projectile, endangering everyone inside the vehicle. It only takes a second to save a life, so buckle up, front and back, on every trip.

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