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Easter accident stats highlights need for roadworthiness
Unroadworthy vehicles are one of
the main factors that have led to the
193 fatalities on our roads this past Easter.
This highlights the critical importance
of ensuring your vehicle is roadworthy
before going out on the road, says
Les Mc Master, chairperson of the Motor
Industry Workshop Association (MIWA.)
Minister of Transport Dipuo Peters
reported in an official statement following
the Easter Weekend that, according
to the Road Traffic Management
Corporation’s (RTMC) preliminary figures,
a total of 148 crashes were recorded
from 17 to 21 April this year, which
resulted in 193 fatalities nationwide.
“Road safety, first and foremost, is an
individual road user’s responsibility.
Once this notion is lost on any
road user, the battle against road
carnage is undermined. The carnage
we continue to experience on our
road is instigated by a number of
factors mostly embedded in human
behaviour and vehicle factor,” she said.
She went on to list a number of
contributing factors that are all in
road users’ control, one of which is
unroadworthy vehicles. Mc Master advises
that motorists should have their vehicles
regularly checked for roadworthiness,
and familiarise themselves with what
constitutes a roadworthy vehicle.
“For peace of mind a roadworthy certificate
can be obtained from any private or public
vehicle testing station.” The roadworthiness
test, amongst others, checks the following
aspects of the vehicle: identification
and documentation, electrical systems,
fittings and equipment (including mirrors,
safety belts etc.), braking system, wheels
(including tyre condition), suspension
and undercarriage, steering, engine,
exhaust system, transmission and drive,
instruments, and vehicle dimensions.
“If these aspects of your vehicle are
checked and given the green light, you
reduce the chance of either your vehicle
breaking down or causing an accident
due to the compromised condition of your
car. If not, at least you know what it is that
needs attention and you can attend to the
problem as soon as possible. Remember,
when you drive your unroadworthy vehicle
onto a public road, you risk the lives of your
passengers, other road users and yourself!
Compromising the condition of your motor
car is not a good practice. Feel free to
contact a MIWA workshop close to you for
further advice on your vehicle’s health.
➲ Les McMaster, chairman of MIWA
No Results From Speed Kills?
Enforcement authorities should move their
emphasis from speed to moving violations
in order to reduce fatalities and cut the
cost of crashes in South Africa. This is
the view of the Automobile Association of
South Africa (AA) which cited the huge rise
in crash costs since 1998. “Crashes cost
the country R42.5 billion in 1998; rising
to over R300 billion last year, this rise far
outstripped inflation. Over the same period,
traffic fatalities rose from 9068 in 1998 to
probably at least 15 000 last year, although
the real death toll is currently unknown government has not released annual death
tolls since 2011.” The AA says that the
focus of enforcement had long been on
prosecuting speeding offences, but this
did not seem to be generating safety and
financial returns. “We have been saturated
with ‘speed kills’ messaging since the start
of the Arrive Alive campaign in 1997, but
where are the results?” the AA enquires.
The international road safety leaders such
as the USA and United Kingdom had
achieved their position due to enforcement
of basic road safety rules which were
often disregarded in South Africa.
“Speed prosecution is warranted when a
motorist’s speed is inappropriate for the
circumstances, but we don’t support the
blanket statement ‘speed kills’ because
there is little evidence to support it. What
kills is dangerous driving.”
| Wheels in Action
74
june 2014
The AA says it believes an emphasis on
moving violations could reduce traffic
fatalities and costs in South Africa by
a quarter to a half, possibly saving the
country more than R150 billion a year. It
says the cash-strapped positions of many
municipalities forced them into prosecution
strategies in which revenue took priority
over safety, and a re-think was needed
for the sake of the country as a whole. “If
we can reduce moving violations, crash
costs will drop and there will be more
revenue in the fiscus, some of which could
be used to assist municipalities,” the AA
comments. The AA calls on the Road
Traffic Management Corporation to review
its guidelines on enforcement to ensure
that the first priority was safety. “South
Africa cannot claim to care for its citizens if
it prioritises revenue generation over their
safety,” the AA concludes.