Transport minister Fikile Mbalula announced on Wednesday that a motorist seen driving while protruding from his car window has been identified and his arrest is imminent. That’s fantastic news.
The stunt was an extreme form of recklessness, but there are other unwise driving habits, common to many of us, that must be nipped in the bud.
It is the time of year when people make long journeys to reunite with family or go on holiday. For those taking to the road, here are a few things to remember.
You might deem exceeding the speed limit a harmless exercise, but it’s extremely dangerous.
The faster your vehicle moves, the less time you have to react to a hazard.
SA is experiencing heavier than normal rainfall for this time of the year, so make sure your car is roadworthy, with tyres and wiper blades in good condition. Keep your headlights on so you can see and be seen. Maintain safe following distances.
We certainly can’t continue on this trajectory. Behavioural change is overdue
At this midpoint of the festive season, Mbalula announced fatal crashes were up about 140% on the same period last year (when there was far less holiday traffic due to lockdowns).
By Wednesday, more than 800 people had died, about 400 of them in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. Many of them were pedestrians and bicycle riders.
These are grim statistics. To address the situation, law enforcement must exercise vigilance throughout the year, and not just at Easter and in December/January.
The government is pinning its hopes on the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act, which comes into effect in January. It will penalise drivers and fleet operators found guilty of traffic offences by imposing demerit points that could lead to suspension or cancellation of licences.
The jury is still out on whether this is a remedy for reckless driving, but we certainly can’t continue on this trajectory. Behavioural change is overdue.
Please be safe, drive carefully and arrive alive.
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