1,000 Die On South African Roads In December

Over 1100 people have died on South African roads during this festive season, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) said on Wednesday, reports  Independent Newspapers.

“Preliminary statistics of people who have died on roads across the country from December 1 to 28 are 1149 out of 958 fatal accidents,” acting CEO Collins of  the RTMC Letsoalo said in a statement.

There were 1304 deaths from 1013 fatal crashes during the same period last year.

The three provinces recording the highest number of accidents were KwaZulu-Natal with 185 crashes, Gauteng with 169 crashes and Eastern Cape with 131  crashes.

“The major contributory factors remain speeds too high for circumstances, tyre failure, fatigue, dangerous overtaking and drinking and driving.”

A total of 1051 people were arrested for drinking and driving in the past week.

“We will show no mercy. If we catch you drinking and driving, you will be arrested and if convicted, have a criminal record for life,” Letsoalo said.

Due to the high number of deaths on the country’s roads this festive season, the RTMC was working with municipal and provincial authorities to clamp down on  traffic offenders in the remaining days of 2010.

Roadblocks, roadside checkpoints, roving patrols, ghost squad patrols and patrol vehicles equipped with moving violation recorders and automatic number plate  recognition devices would be used to police traffic offenders.

“Motorists travelling in severely unroadworthy vehicles will, over and above a fine, also have the licence disc removed and the vehicle discontinued.

“The same will apply to speedsters who deliberately remove registration plates, display fraudulent plates, obscure plates or use hairspray or laser jammers  in order to defeat speed cameras,” the RTMC said.

The RTMC urged road users to comply with traffic rules and to make a concerted resolution to be better road users.

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