BE A RESPONSIBLE ROAD USER THIS FESTIVE SEASON

According to statistics, road crashes are the second leading cause of death in the whole world among young people aged between 30 to 44 years. Needless to say, road accidents account for one of the major causes in which South Africa loses its fine talent in the arts and business sector. Road crashes and fatalities continue to pose a huge burden to our economy with a loss of R43 billion annually. Road crashes of appalling horror occur almost every day. We all know about it and we all also know that we need a greater sense of responsibility as nobody benefits from this situation.

According to the Road Traffic Management Corporation, around 14 000 people die and close to 150 000 people are injured in road traffic accidents every year in South Africa. On average, 67, 5 % of drivers, 33, 3% of front seat passengers and 93, 2% backseat passengers do not wear seatbelts. While it is thought seatbelts may occasionally contribute to serious injury or death, nearly all safety experts agree that buckling up dramatically increases your chances of surviving an accident. Seat belt use is essential on every journey, no matter how short or how slow - and it is vital for everyone in a vehicle - especially kids.

The Automobile Association (AA) also emphasises that it is not just about wearing seat belts in the front of the vehicle. Rear seat belts also save lives and can reduce the risk of death for a front seat car occupant by about 50%. As a Department we therefore appeal to road users to accept full responsibility for their behaviour and that of their families and friends to reduce the number of deaths on the road.

Intensified law enforcement		Are your children/passengers buckled in?

In our endeavour to provide a safe road environment that will be advantageous to residents and visitors to our Province during the Summer Holidays, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport together with all relevant stakeholders will again attempt to reduce the number of deaths on the province's roads . The influx of people to KwaZulu-Natal results in increased vehicular and pedestrian traffic resulting in the province being faced with high a number of fatalities resulting from road carnage during the summer holidays.

Our mission will be to intensify high visibility patrols, increase law enforcement on critical offences, as well as oversee the integrated and co-ordinated efforts of all role players concerned. Planned activities would revolve around national, provincial, local authority and community priorities. All law enforcement agencies and emergency services will be working in unison to ensure our 100 % Compliance Policy against traffic offenders in an effort to curb the number of road crashes and to create maximum impact in terms of law enforcement.

There will be no mercy shown to any traffic offender during this festive season. All personnel will be made available during this period to ensure support for intensified law enforcement initiatives and they have been given strict instructions to penalise all those who do not comply with traffic rules.

You are urged to report any traffic offence or emergency to our MPIMPA Hotline 086 221 10 10, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You may also report these offences via our Mpimpa online right here on our website.

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