EASTER weekend road deaths are on the decline and transport officials are optimistic this year will be better than last year.
Department of Transport Minister Ben Martins was in the province yesterday and addressed officials at a roadblock just past the Komga turn-off on the N2.
National, provincial and local traffic officers were present, as well as members of the South African Police Services and the Road Accident Fund.
Martins emphasised the importance of wearing seatbelts and adhering to all road rules.
“Back-seat passengers and children are flung out of vehicles because they were not wearing seat belts. More than 40% of the fatalities on our roads are those of people not wearing seat belts,” he said.
“All year we have programmes that heighten road safety to avoid accidents. Many South Africans die on our roads because of noncompliance with the rules.
“Head-on collisions are due to motorists not abiding by the rules. We want to increase visibility on the roads to ensure compliance,” Martins added.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, Martins said although conclusive statistics were not yet available, road deaths appeared to have decreased.
“We can only give a clear answer on Wednesday with exact figures but from what we see it seems the number of fatalities has come down.”
Provincial Arrive Alive spokesman Tshepo Machaea said so far there was a definite improvement from last year.
“We have not had many accidents with deaths. From what has been reported, there are less than 10 fatalities. That is a huge improvement from last year.”
Machaea commended drivers for “behaving” on the roads. “Motorists seem to have behaved well because with the heavy rains reported across the province things could have been worse.
“We appreciate the manner in which they heeded our calls.”
During the four-day weekend last year, national preliminary results showed the figure had dropped to 157 in 2012 – almost half of the previous year’s 297.
Martins and Machaea both urged caution as people travelled back home from their holiday destinations.
The department deployed 22 traffic officers from the national Road Traffic Management Corporation unit to reinforce 1102 provincial officers on the roads.
Last week stakeholders of the transport industry pledged to minimise road deaths.
Taxi associations in East London have placed commuters at the centre of a strategy to ensure safe town-to-town and long distance trips.
An emergency contact number, 076-095- 2812, was set up to report faulty taxis and negligent or drunk drivers.
No drivers without licences would be on the roads and rank managers would assess and monitor vehicles.
l A minibus taxi ferrying Zionist church members and two other vehicles were trapped in water while trying cross a low bridge in Lusikisiki.
Taxi owner Songezo Mathe said his Toyota Quantum needed repairs after being trapped in water on one of the bridges when collecting worshippers from Luzuphu Village to take to Flagstaff.
“Although I am fortunate not to have drowned, the car engine is damaged. It cannot start and a lot of money has to be spent fixing it,” he said.
While the heavy rains reported across the province have covered low-lying bridges, no major damage has been reported.
Police Disaster Management’s Captain John Fobian said: “Nothing has been reported to us. No rescues were needed.” — Additional reporting by Lulamile Feni
Easter death toll may be down
Department of Transport Minister Ben Martins was in the province yesterday and addressed officials at a roadblock just past the Komga turn-off on the N2.
National, provincial and local traffic officers were present, as well as members of the South African Police Services and the Road Accident Fund.
Martins emphasised the importance of wearing seatbelts and adhering to all road rules.
“Back-seat passengers and children are flung out of vehicles because they were not wearing seat belts. More than 40% of the fatalities on our roads are those of people not wearing seat belts,” he said.
“All year we have programmes that heighten road safety to avoid accidents. Many South Africans die on our roads because of noncompliance with the rules.
“Head-on collisions are due to motorists not abiding by the rules. We want to increase visibility on the roads to ensure compliance,” Martins added.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, Martins said although conclusive statistics were not yet available, road deaths appeared to have decreased.
“We can only give a clear answer on Wednesday with exact figures but from what we see it seems the number of fatalities has come down.”
Provincial Arrive Alive spokesman Tshepo Machaea said so far there was a definite improvement from last year.
“We have not had many accidents with deaths. From what has been reported, there are less than 10 fatalities. That is a huge improvement from last year.”
Machaea commended drivers for “behaving” on the roads. “Motorists seem to have behaved well because with the heavy rains reported across the province things could have been worse.
“We appreciate the manner in which they heeded our calls.”
During the four-day weekend last year, national preliminary results showed the figure had dropped to 157 in 2012 – almost half of the previous year’s 297.
Martins and Machaea both urged caution as people travelled back home from their holiday destinations.
The department deployed 22 traffic officers from the national Road Traffic Management Corporation unit to reinforce 1102 provincial officers on the roads.
Last week stakeholders of the transport industry pledged to minimise road deaths.
Taxi associations in East London have placed commuters at the centre of a strategy to ensure safe town-to-town and long distance trips.
An emergency contact number, 076-095- 2812, was set up to report faulty taxis and negligent or drunk drivers.
No drivers without licences would be on the roads and rank managers would assess and monitor vehicles.
l A minibus taxi ferrying Zionist church members and two other vehicles were trapped in water while trying cross a low bridge in Lusikisiki.
Taxi owner Songezo Mathe said his Toyota Quantum needed repairs after being trapped in water on one of the bridges when collecting worshippers from Luzuphu Village to take to Flagstaff.
“Although I am fortunate not to have drowned, the car engine is damaged. It cannot start and a lot of money has to be spent fixing it,” he said.
While the heavy rains reported across the province have covered low-lying bridges, no major damage has been reported.
Police Disaster Management’s Captain John Fobian said: “Nothing has been reported to us. No rescues were needed.” — Additional reporting by Lulamile Feni
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