Road safety first this Easter | Western Cape Government

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Road safety first this Easter

29 March 2018

Provincial Traffic Services (PTS) officials and their partner agencies will be hard at work keeping Western Cape roads safe this Easter and beyond.

Although this will be a time filled with happiness and celebration, increased traffic volumes mean this long weekend can also be a dangerous time for road users. We urge you to be extra careful. Always obey the rules of the road and if you are going to celebrate, make sure that you don’t drink and drive – use safer alternatives to get home.

Starting from tomorrow (29 March), the Department of Transport and Public Works will again be running its public transport compliance and fatigue management sticker project. Public transport vehicles will be stopped and inspected, and stickers will record key information that will be used at stops further down the route to monitor compliance with traffic safety laws.

A total of 35 traffic officer students from Gene Louw Traffic College will be assisting with traffic law enforcement operations this Easter – 27 from PTS, and 8 from municipal traffic services. This will further strengthen enforcement capacity at one of the busiest times of the year.

“The Department’s traffic officers will again monitor our roads day and night to help motorists reach their destinations safely,” said Farrel Payne, Director: Western Cape Traffic Law Enforcement. “They will be strictly enforcing our traffic safety laws. We thank our officers for their efforts in making our roads safer and better for all,” he added.

Additional statistics for the week of 21 to 27 March

  • Provincial Traffic Services held 26 alcohol blitz roadblocks and Random Breath Testing operations.
  • A total of 9 942 drivers were screened for (being under suspicion of) driving under the influence of alcohol, and 42 were arrested.
  • The highest breath alcohol reading recorded was 1,07 mg/ 1 000 ml of breath in the Worcester service area – over 4 times the legal limit of 0,24 mg/ 1 000 ml.
  • A total of 3 378 fines in the amount of R4 580 950 were issued for various traffic violations ranging from driver violations to vehicle fitness offences.
  • Provincial Traffic Services recorded 3 168 speeding offences. The highest speeds recorded were:
    • 217 km/h in a 120 km/h zone on the N1 in the Brackenfell service area.
    • 151 km/h in a 100 km/h zone on the N2 in the Mossel Bay service area.
    • 119 km/h in an 80 km/h zone on the N2 in the Somerset West service area.
    • 96 km/h in a 70 km/h zone on the N1 in the Worcester service area.
    • 89 km/h in a 60 km/h zone on the N2 in the Knysna service area.
  • Provincial Traffic Services made 13 other arrests:
    • 4 drivers were arrested for excessive speeding – 3 on the N1 in the Beaufort West service area for travelling at 164 km/h, 166 km/h and180 km/h in a 120 km/h zone, and 1 for travelling at 110 km/h in an 80 km/h zone in the Beaufort West service area.
    • 1 driver was arrested for reckless and negligent driving in the Somerset West service area.
    • 1 driver was arrested for fraud in the George service area.
    • 1 passenger was arrested for hindering an officer in the execution of duty in the Vredendal service area.
    • 4 drivers were arrested for false documentation in the Mossel Bay (2 drivers), Caledon (1) and Beaufort West service areas (1).
    • 2 drivers were arrested for goods overloading in the Worcester service area.

It’s up to you to make the difference. #BeTheChange you want to see on our roads. For more information see safelyhome.westerncape.gov.za and on Facebook and Twitter @WCGovSafelyHome.

Traffic information enquiries
Tel: 021 946 1646
Email: goodwood.tmc@wc.weighbridge.co.za

Media Enquiries: 

Byron la Hoe
Communication Officer
Department of Transport and Public Works
Tel: 021 483 9813
Cell: 079 281 8570
Email: byron.lahoe@westerncape.gov.za