South Africans often complain and ridicule traffic authorities for the high death toll on our roads. We strategise and implement awareness and enforcement strategies and despite small short term victories still face overturned vehicles and blood on our roads.
Having been involved with efforts to create awareness of road safety for the past 5 years I am often approached by friends questioning our South African road safety efforts. We can only admit that there are far too many deaths and that much more needs to be done to improve safety on our roads.
Accident statistics in South Africa reveal that every day we lose approximately 36 lives and numerous others are seriously injured. Even though these numbers are alarming – we need to go on our knees each day and be thankful that these numbers are not higher! I am a firm believer that we get what we deserve – and if we “live by the sword, we die by the sword”.
Statistics that are more alarming are the number of daily unlicensed drivers, drunk drivers, non roadworthy vehicles and speedsters! If we monitor these statistics closely we will find that in KZN alone there were 2209 unlicensed drivers stopped at road blocks during the month of December 2007. Earlier today colleagues of mine mocked another colleague by discussing whether anyone has ever spotted him in his vehicle without his cellular phone to his ear…!
Our blatant disregard for the Rules of the Road is the most important missing link in road safety. If this is not addressed we will continue discussing road deaths as a health hazard, we will continue to complain about our fellow road users and our economy will suffer the consequences… [ and we will console those who lose their beloved family members and friends in accidents!]
We can only hope that lawlessness on the roads will decrease and that traffic enforcement will remove the unruly element from our roads. This will require a focus on effective traffic enforcement outside of the usual speed enforcement through road blocks, breathalyzers etc. We will also need the commitment of ordinary road users to obey the Rules of the Road, to report bad drivers and corrupt officials….only then will we deserve safer roads!!
I have been askd by the Committee for Active Road Safety (CARS) an organisation which is part of the SA Guild of Motoring Journalists along with several transport organisation, to investigate the number of collisions, incidents, accidents, call them what you will, on the Roads in KZN, particularly the freeways and other main roads.
Is there anyone out there who would have stats for this?
Looking at the traffic report each morning and evening there are normally between five and ten reports involving trucks or buses per day but I have been asked for more details about the incedents including the type of accident - collision, loss of control, breakdowns causing traffic jam, driver fatigue or drinking or drugs, and unroadworthy vehicles.
I would be very grateful for any help I receive.
This has been referred to the RTMC as well as the Road Traffic Inspectorate in KZN!