Kaya News Reporter
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula released the 2021/22 Festive Season fatalities statistics on Tuesday, 18 January.
The minister began his address by extending his condolences to the families who lost loved ones during the 42-days of the festive season’s Arrive Alive campaign.
Addressing the media via livestream from the Grasmere Toll Plaza, Mbalula said the high number of fatalities over the holidays were a result of a fragmented system which only results in unlawful behaviour on the roads.
It is for this reason that the minister will appeal the ruling of the Pretoria High Court which declared the Aarto Act unconstitutional and invalid.
Arrive Alive 2021/22
The department’s 2021/22 festive season enforcement targets placed great emphasis on:
- Speed reduction
- Seatbelt and restrain compliance
- Drunk driving
- Pedestrian safety
- Patrolling identified dangerous roads/routes at the time when dangerous conditions are prevalent or dangerous behaviour is known to occur
- Over the festive season 21 431 drivers were fined for not wearing seatbelts, while 22 766 drivers were found driving without licenses.
- Traffic law enforcement officers conducted 651 roadblocks throughout the country and 264 690 fines were issued for various offences.
- A total of 4 251 un-roadworthy vehicles were discontinued while 4 073 vehicles were impounded.
- 6 169 motorists were arrested and 1 586 of these were for drunken driving.
- A total of 605 drivers were arrested for driving at excessive speeds of between 190 km per hour to well above 220 km per hour. The highest speedster was arrested in Limpopo travelling at 225 km an hour.
- Human factors contributed 79% to the occurrence of fatal crashes while road factors contributed 11% and vehicle factors 10%.
- A driver with the highest alcohol level of 2.43mg was arrested in Johannesburg on 22 December 2021.
- The Northern Cape and Western Cape recorded the highest percentage increases in fatalties.
- 1 685 fatalities were recorded over this festive period which is a 14% increase on the previous period.
Gauteng recorded a 15.5% increase moving from 238 fatalities in the previous period to 275 in this period.
— FIKILE MBALULA | MR FIX (@MbalulaFikile) January 18, 2022
Free State recorded the lowest increase of 7.2% moving from 111 fatalities in the previous period to 119 in this period.
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