Zero Tolerance in KZN

The Global Situation in Developing and Transitional Societies

Road Safety is a problem worldwide in developing societies. Although the developing world only has about 30% of global traffic, it is responsible for more than 70% of deaths world-wide. More than 1.17 million people are killed in road crashes throughout the world each year. Over 10 million are crippled or seriously injured. More than half of these are pedestrians.

Background in KZN

The KZN Minister of Transport, Mr S'bu Ndebele, decided during 1996 to embark on a special road safety campaign - based on the very successful model from Victoria in Australia. The campaign has been very successful, achieving a more than 30% reduction in road fatalities between 1996 and 1998. This has not been achieved anywhere else in the world. During August 2000 the re-structure of the Department of Transport included establishment of a permanent Road Safety Directorate, reporting directly to the Deputy Director General.

Strategy and Calendar

All the elements of Road Safety are synergised to ensure maximum effectiveness, under an annual Calendar which gives a clear strategic focus, with emphasis on critical areas, particularly speed and abuse of alcohol on the roads.

The basic elements of the strategy are:

  • Enforcement - visible and high profile enforcement of critical areas - especially speed, alcohol, overloading, seat-belts and vehicle condition.
  • Coordination of all 64 enforcement agencies in the province
  • Corridor and holiday planning
  • Purchase, training and use of new equipment
  • Education - advertising to support enforcement, education of schools and communities and public awareness to encourage behavior change.
  • Formation of 30 Community Road Safety Councils
  • Capacity building in communities
  • Special programmes aimed at pedestrians - adults and children
  • Campaigns in pubs, taverns and shebeens to discourage drinking and walking
  • Engineering - special low-cost treatment of hazardous locations, audits and assessments of roads and vehicle design and condition.
  • Identification of hazardous locations by communities
  • Treatment of such locations
  • Accurate data collection and analysis
  • Road safety audits and assessments of roads at the design, building and completed states
  • Evaluation and research - to ensure appropriate treatments and programmes are embarked upon.
  • Comprehensive external evaluation by CSIR and other consultants during September 1999 which led to the production of 50 recommendations for improving delivery.
  • Establishment, financing and support of University of Natal Interdisciplinary Accident Research Centre to carry out research in accordance with set priorities.
Aims, Five Year Plan and Success

We have made substantial gains in decreasing road deaths in KwaZulu Natal from over 2000 in 1996 to under 1500 in 1998. We expect, by the finish of our 5 year programme at the end of 2002, to have achieved a 50% reduction in fatalities, saving more than 3,500 lives and R4.1 billion.  

The Future

Priorities for the future include:

  • A move towards a more community-based approach to the work, concentrating on public-awareness and education programmes carried out through Community Road Safety Councils.
  • Implementation of national initiatives such as the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) and Road Traffic Management Coordinating Committee (RTMCC).
  • Continued co-operation with Arrive Alive and Strategy 2000-2004 which are national campaigns.
  • The implementation of a long-term, effective strategy and a proven business case for success, which will ensure continued support from government and business.
  • A collaboration with public and private sectors; as well as provincial, national and international road safety organizations.

NOTE:
A fuller version of this report is available from the Road Safety Directorate at the Department of Transport.

 

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