Clamp down much harder on drunken driving

WE ARE barely two weeks into lockdown level 2, but the carnage on our roads is shocking.

In Gauteng alone this weekend about 740 suspects were arrested, including two police officers, for drinking and driving. Three other metro police officials were killed in a head-on collision with a suspected drunk driver.

Earlier last week, five people were left dead when two vehicles collided in another alcohol-related incident.

According to the Road Traffic Management Corporation, these crashes provide further evidence of the devastating impact of alcohol on road accidents in South Africa. It is estimated that 27% of collisions in the country are alcohol-related – especially at night or over weekends.

This irresponsible behaviour must be condemned in the strongest terms.

This problem is not only limited to Gauteng, but extends across all provinces where there are innocent souls who lose their lives because of selfish people who drink and drive.

But we can’t blame alcohol for the behaviour of irresponsible people.

Every year there are numerous campaigns on road safety against this kind of behaviour – speeding, drunk driving – but clearly these messages don’t solicit the desired effect.

We shudder to imagine the devastating impact it is having on our health-care system under level 2.

Gauteng Community Safety MEC Faith Mazibuko has pleaded with citizens “to drink responsibility to prevent the senseless loss of lives”.

Currently, people might argue that alcohol needs to be banned again.

However, banning alcohol is not an option for thousands of people dependent on selling it to put food on the table and to take care of their households financially.

What will it take for people to be responsible on the roads?

We should be fighting this pandemic together and not adding fuel to its raging socio-economic effects.

It has cost us a lot – mentally, financially and physically.

No South African should think of level 2 as a return to normalcy; we should rather ramp-up precautionary measures and stay safe.

Now is the time for authorities and the courts to be tough on transgressors.

The government should consider lengthy bans for those who get behind the wheel while drunk.