Results of Safely Home Weekend Traffic Operations

Media Statement by Minister of Community Safety, Dan Plato

This weekend saw 1 101 drivers screened at Safely Home alcohol blitz roadblocks across the province for driving under the influence of alcohol, resulting in no less than 39 arrests.

The highest breath alcohol reading was recorded in Brackenfell at 1.19mg/1 000ml.

The integrated efforts of Provincial Traffic, SAPS and Municipal Traffic saw a total of 2 539 vehicles stopped and 411 fines issued for traffic violations.

A total of 2 234 speeding offences were recorded with the highest speed recorded in Brackenfell at 201 km/h in a 120 km/h zone.

Road accidents claimed four lives this weekend.

On Friday morning, three people lost their lives and 28 were injured when a Volkswagen Golf and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter bus collided head-on on the N1 toll road on the Paarl side of the tunnel.

A pedestrian was also knocked over on the R300 on Friday.

We cannot allow drivers to behave so irresponsibly as to get behind the wheel drunk or to speed. Alcohol and speed are major contributing factors to road traffic accidents and I will continue my appeal for drivers to take responsibility not only for their own safety, but also for that of all other road users.

While too many people have already lost their lives in motor vehicle accidents, it is not too late to change our attitudes and behaviour on the road to stop the carnage and get everyone Safely Home.