 
DRIVER CLOCKED AT 179 KILOMETRES PER HOUR"Don't fool yourself, Speed Kills; the faster you drive, the harder you hit. Do these messages actually hit home any more, or have they become mere clichés that are largely ignored by the motoring public?" These were the words of the Head of the Transport Department in KwaZulu-Natal, Dr Kwazi Mbanjwa, after it was reported that more than 18 000 drivers were charged for speeding in KZN since the start of the festive season on 1 December 2002. On Saturday, 14 December 2002 at approximately 18h00 traffic officials from the KZN Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) arrested Mr Peter Naicker (25) from Northdale in Pietermartizburg for travelling at 179 kilometres per hour in a 120 kilometre per hour zone on the N3 near Cato Ridge in the KZN Midlands. Mr Naicker failed to stop as directed by traffic officials and was arrested at the Engen One Stop in Cato Ridge after traffic officers gave chase. Naicker appeared in the Cato Ridge Roadside Court where he was released on bail of R1 500 and the case was remanded until Wednesday (18/12/2002). Also, on Saturday (14/12/2002) on the N3 at Van Reenens Pass two other drivers were arrested for travelling at 185 and 153 kilometres per hour in a 80 kilometre per hour zone. They were released on R600 and R300 bail respectively. Since the start of the festive season motorists were charged by RTI officers alone for 25 074 various traffic offences in and around the province. Thirty six drivers have been arrested for driving a motor vehicle whilst under the influence of alcohol and 18 900 drivers were charged for speed-related offences. Further, at a road block held today on the N3 near Pietermartizburg between 07h00 and 12h00, motorists were charged for 78 various traffic offences. Five drivers were charged for driving whilst under the influence of alcohol. A truck driver was arrested for being four times over the legal blood alcohol content of 0.02grams per hundred millilitres. Three vehicles were suspended for being in an un-roadworthy condition. Meanwhile, the road death toll in the province has now risen to 89. Of this figure, 20 drivers, 30 passengers and 39 pedestrians were killed. Speed and driver error has been identified as the major contributory factors to most of these crashes. "Road Safety is everyone's responsibility. So lift your right foot slightly, and get into the habit of driving more courteously, more slowly and more carefully. You may save your own life. You may save the life of a loved one. You may save the life of somebody else by avoiding a crash altogether," said Mbanjwa.
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