Seven killed on Western Cape roads this weekend | Western Cape Government

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Seven killed on Western Cape roads this weekend

11 September 2017

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

A total of 31 motorists were arrested for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol over the weekend.

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

In addition, traffic officers made two arrests:

  • One for false documentation in Somerset West, and
  • One for illegal transportation of 34 bags of dagga in Laingsburg.

Breath testing was performed on 1 851 drivers at 26 alcohol blitz roadblocks across the province. The highest breath alcohol reading was recorded in the Beaufort West service area. At 1,75 mg of alcohol/ 1 000 ml of breath, this is over seven times the legal limit of 0,24 mg/ 1 000 ml.

A total of 221 speeding offences were recorded and 167 fines in the total amount of R337 450 were issued for a variety of reasons, ranging from driver offences to vehicle fitness violations.

Highest speeds

  • 156 km/h in a 120 km/h zone in the George service area, and
  • 135 km/h in a 100 km/h zone in the Mossel Bay service area.

Details of road fatalities

Date Location of crash Fatalities
Friday, 8 September 2017 N7 between Malmesbury and Moorreesburg 1 driver
Friday, 8 September 2017 Stanford 1 driver
Saturday, 9 September 2017 Old Paarl Rd, Brackenfell 1 passenger
Saturday, 9 September 2017 Worcester/ Wolseley Rd 1 pedestrian
Sunday, 10 September 2017 Hermon Rd, Riebeck Kasteel 3 passengers

 

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.

Join Safely Home on Twitter @WCGovSafelyHome under the hashtag #AlwaysBuckleUp

Media Enquiries: 

Kenny Africa
Provincial Traffic Chief
Department of Transport and Public Works
Tel: 021 483 5114/ 7823
Cell: 084 562 4574
Email: Kenneth.Africa@westerncape.gov.za

Jacques Mostert
Provincial Traffic Spokesperson
Department of Transport and Public Works
Tel: 021 483 7897
Cell: 082 820 0621
Email: Jacques.Mostert2@westerncape.gov.za