Road deaths up 14%

TRANSPORT Minister Blade Nzimande has hailed female motorists, saying their safe driving was an example to other drivers.

Nzimande yesterday released preliminary findings into Easter road safety statistics, which show that male drivers accounted for 71.1% of road fatalities, compared with 24.1% for women.

“This is an important stat because it shows that women are better drivers than men,” Nzimande said.

This year’s statistics were compiled over 12 days, from March 29 to April 9.

Nzimande said there were 510 deaths – an increase of 14% on last year.

“The preliminary report shows that the main contributing factors to road fatalities are related to human behaviour.

“It is very concerning that some unwarranted behaviours continued unabated.

“This has been ably demonstrated by the successful arrests of 6 435 drivers who were caught speeding; 3 208 driving unlicensed vehicles, 300 drivers without driving licences; 2 344 drivers who had not fastened their seat belts; and 1 698 drivers driving with worn tyres,” Nzimande said.

Tyre bursts prior to accidents increased by 67%, compared with 60% last year.

Hit-and-run incidents decreased by 16.1% since the start of the year; and roads and environmental factors contributed 6.2%.

The deaths per province were: KwaZulu Natal – 111 Gauteng – 89 Limpopo – 80 Eastern Cape – 59 Mpumalanga – 49 Western Cape – 34 North West – 34 Free State – 27 Northern Cape – 27 Nzimande said four major crashes took place in rural areas, claiming 35 lives.

Two of these happened in Greytown, KZN, and the other two happened in Diperere village in Limpopo.

The crashes also people injured.

“The truck drivers’ strike on April 2 also added complexity in that it resulted in the total shutdown of the N3 and all alternative routes in Mooi Rivier in KZN on one of the busiest days in this period.

“This led to more than fivehour delays for motorists who were making their way from the KwaZulu-Natal coastal areas to the central areas,” Nzimande said.

Since the start of the year, human factors had contributed to 90% of crashes compared with 74% last year.

Western Cape Transport MEC Donald Grant said the pedestrian deaths were a problem in the province.

“A lot more work needs to be done to lower the number of pedestrians who are killed,” Grant said. left 26