Independent Newspapers
Traffic police around the country are hard at work as part of the festive season road safety campaign, but more than 800 road deaths have been recorded since December 1. Photo: Bongiwe Mchunu
Johannesburg – Speeding and drinking and driving have contributed heavily to the more than 800 deaths that have occurred on South African roads this festive season, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) said on Monday.
Spokesperson Ashref Ismail said: “Major contributory factors remain speeds too high for circumstances, especially at night and during inclement weather, drinking and driving, drinking and walking, and dangerous overtaking on barrier lines in the face of coming traffic.”
According to the RTMC, just over 800 people have lost their lives since December 1 this year.
A total of 1 149 people were killed on South Africa’s roads between December 1 and December 28 in 2010 and 1 304 deaths were recorded for the same period in 2009.
Ismail said it was not possible to predict whether this year’s figures would exceed last year’s toll.
“It would premature to make such comparisons, but we remain hopeful that we won’t reach that figure this year. There has been a small year-on-year reduction and we hope to build on that.”
Ismail said the RTMC expected heavy volumes of traffic on Tuesday on the N3 north to Johannesburg and the N1 south from Polokwane to Pretoria as holidaymakers returned home. – Sapa
Original post:
Holiday road death toll passes 800