Homebound urged not to use back roads

THE Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has advised motorists to avoid night time travel and the use of back roads on their way home from holidays.

The RTMC said it had noted high vehicle volumes on back roads, especially at night since the start of the December holidays.

“Motorists are also advised that heavy rains are predicted in most provinces and they should therefore drive with extra caution and reduce speed. Law enforcement will continue to be strictly applied and there will be no mercy for those who break the rules of the road,” said the RTMC.

It said more than 20 000 motorists had received traffic fines for violations since the start of the #LiveBeyondDezemba road safety campaign on December 1 last year.

“About 4 500 motorists were arrested for drunken driving, speeding and operating vehicles without driving licences, among other offences. The highest number of drunk drivers were caught in Gauteng, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal. The highest number of speedsters were nabbed in the Free State and most vehicles were discontinued by the National Traffic Police,” it added.

The Gauteng Traffic Police have also appealed to road users to ensure compliance with road safety rules and regulations to save lives.

The traffic police said the province has recorded over 200 fatalities to date.

Spokesperson Sello Maremane said: “Road crashes and fatalities contribute to the alarming rate of disabilities and deaths in the province. This is largely attributed to the attitude and behaviour of road users such as unsafe overtaking, unsafe lane changing, over speeding, pedestrian jaywalking and lack of concentration by drivers. Substance abuse and vehicle fitness have also compounded the situation on our roads,” he said.