Department of Transport Identifies 20 Crash Hotspots in SA, Promises 24/7 Policing on These Routes
- The Department of Transport (DoT) has identified 20 hotspots where frequent accidents take place
- The DoT is committed to ensuring these roads are monitored during the upcoming festive season
- 11,883 people were killed on the country's roads in 10,180 crashes between 1 January and 31 December 2023
Source: Getty Images
The Department of Transport (DoT) is committed to ensuring that the roads are safe to travel on during this festive season.
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy officially launched the 2024 Festive Season Road Safety Campaign, detailing how the department plans to make the roads safer.
She explained that the National Department of Transport would collaborate with all relevant government departments and agencies to reduce road crashes and fatalities.
DoT identify serious accidents hotspots
During her speech, Creecy said that the department identified 20 priority routes across the country where most fatal crashes occur.
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The Eastern Cape accounts for seven accident hotspots, while Limpopo and Mpumalanga have three each.
The priority routes are:
• Limpopo – R71 Mankweng, R37 Mecklenburg and the N1 Naboomspruit.
• Mpumalanga – R573 KwaMhlanga, N4 Vosman and N4 Nelspruit.
• Gauteng – R21 Kempton Park.
• North West – N12 Potchefstroom and N12 Klerksdorp.
• KwaZulu-Natal – N2 Pongola and N2 Umkomaas.
• Eastern Cape – R61 Mzamba, N2 Libode, N2 Idutywa, R61 Umthatha, N2 Mount Ayliff, R61 Libode and N2 Umthatha.
• Western Cape – N2 Khayelitsha.
She explained that 24/7 traffic policing will be conducted on these routes during the festive season to ensure no other lives will be lost.
No fear or favour from officials
Creecy added that all traffic officers, police officers and law enforcement authorities must enforce the law without fear or favour.
“Road users must know that they will face the consequences for breaking the law. If fathers, mothers and innocent children are going to die or be injured because of the actions of irresponsible individuals, then those individuals must face the consequences,” she said.
Law enforcement will ensure that drivers stick to speed limits while inspecting vehicles and locking up all those caught driving drunk.
Over 10,000 crashes in 2023
Creecy also detailed how scary 2023 was for road users, according to the Road Traffic Management Corporation’s stats. According to the RTMC’s State of Road Safety Report, the country’s roads experienced 10,180 fatal crashes between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023.
From those crashes, 11,883 people died. 1,285 of those deaths occurred during the 2023 festive season. Alcohol and speed were named as the two biggest contributors to road deaths.
2 Killed as speeding car crashes into truck
In a related article, two people were killed when a Mercedes-Benz crashed into a truck in Mbombela. Videos of the tragic accident soon went viral and showed the moment the car hit the truck.
Briefly News reported that the crash caused a debate online as to who was to blame for the crash.
Source: Briefly News
