Traffic fatalities statistics released
Traffic statistics released … MEC Butana Komphela during a media briefing.
There were 98 road fatalities in the Free State over the festive season.
This is according to the MEC of Police, Roads and Transport, Butana Komphela, who released the road traffic statistics earlier this week.
The number of people who died on the province’s roads increased from 95 to 98 fatalities from 2010/2011 to 2011/2012.
Komphela said the majority of the fatalities were due to fatigue and carelessness.
“Research findings have confirmed that 95 percent of all fatalities are caused by human error and or negligence.
“For example, 16 head-on collisions claimed the lives of 79 people in the Free State.”
He said the number of vehicles impounded increased from 17 to 162 in two years since the Operation Hlokomela campaign was implemented.
The number of awareness campaigns and roadblocks increased from 41 to 66.
Thirty-three people were arrested for drunken driving. The highest speed recorded was 211km
per hour.
The MEC said some of the road fatalities took place on the N3 and the N1 roads.
There are 548 traffic officers who have to look after 259 access roads entering into and within the province. There are also 259 primary roads which need to be managed by the department.
“It is not possible for everyone to be everywhere all the time. The roads are too vast.”
Although there are 525 664 people with licences, some of them are not experienced enough to drive on national roads.
“Four-hundred-and-58 people were found carrying temporary driver’s licences, 117 did not carry their licences, and 306 did not have public driving permits.”
The department conducted 66 road blocks on the national roads and inspected 740 000 vehicles during the festive season.
“The N3 cost us a fortune when the mini bus taxi and the truck collided near Harrismith.”
Referring to SA Roadlink, Komphela said the bus was a moving coffin that has to be taken off the roads.
“Four buses were taken off the road because they were un-roadworthy in December.”
According to Komphela, SA Roadlink buses need to be tested by the government’s traffic department and not by so-called private testers.
“These buses have been in collisions every year for the past few years as a result of lack of service.
“Some of the buses had no suspension. If we need to take the bus companies to the Supreme Court,
we will.”
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