With the end-of-year festivities looming large on the horizon and South Africans preparing to criss-cross the country’s roads, road deaths in the Western Cape are already climbing at an alarming rate.
According to Western Cape Traffic Services, 99 people died in road crashes across the province in November alone. Notably, 26 of those fatalities occurred on major routes such as the N1, N2 and N7. Between Monday 1 and Sunday 7 December, 28 people died on provincial roads.
Provincial chief director of traffic management Maxine Bezuidenhout says that as holiday traffic builds, drivers face growing pressure.
She adds that the deadly mix of speeding, reckless overtaking, fatigue, alcohol and unroadworthy vehicles is placing more lives at risk.
“With early holiday travel underway, traffic volumes are increasing significantly, placing additional pressure on drivers. Unfortunately, this often results in poor decision-making under these conditions, leading to serious and sometimes fatal crashes.”
Bezuidenhout urges road users to exercise patience, obey the rules of the road and make responsible choices. This will ensure everyone’s safety.
Speeding and reckless overtaking have been highlighted as major risks. They remain the leading causes of serious and often fatal crashes, she elaborates.
“During the festive period, our roads experience high traffic volumes. One reckless manoeuvre can result in multiple vehicle collisions with devastating consequences. These behaviours remain amongst the leading causes of fatal crashes on provincial roads.”
Vehicle checks
Bezuidenhout urged motorists to ensure that their vehicles are fully roadworthy before undertaking any long-distance travel.
Key checks include:
- Tyres
- Brakes
- Lights and indicators
- Windscreen and wipers
- Fluid levels, including oil and water
These checks are also applicable to trailers.
“Drivers can address these risks by having their vehicles inspected at roadworthy centres, ensuring services are up to date, and repairing any defects before travelling,” she said.
Pedestrians
According to Bezuidenhout, serious and fatal pedestrian crashes often occur in residential areas and along major provincial routes. This is particularly the case after dark.
Pedestrians face increased danger due to:
- Poor nighttime visibility
- Alcohol impairment
- Higher traffic volumes
- Unsafe road-crossing behaviour
To mitigate the carnage, Traffic Services has implemented a comprehensive festive enforcement strategy. This includes 24-hour operational deployments and high-visibility patrols on major routes.
Bezuidenhout says enforcement will intensify daily throughout the festive season to enhance road safety and compliance.
She cautions that trips should be planned carefully and drivers should rest before undertaking long journeys.
“No journey is worth losing a life. The most important destination this festive season is arriving alive.”
