A total of 845 fatalities have been recorded on South African roads since 1 December till 19 December, says Transport Minister Dipuo Peters.<\/p>\n
Addressing the media on Tuesday in Midrand on the state of the Festive Season Road Safety Campaign, Minister Peters said the number of fatalities has increased by 17% compared to the same period in the previous year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are 684 fatal crashes recorded since 1 to 19 December 2016. Nationally, there is an increase of 16% in comparison to the same period in the previous year,\u201d Minister Peters said.<\/p>\n
The accidents on the road have been attributed to the inclement weather, in particular wet surfaces, human and vehicle contributing factors.<\/p>\n
The provinces that recorded an increase in crashes include KwaZulu-Natal with an increase of 32, while Limpopo increased by 28 and the North West by nine.<\/p>\n
Crashes in Mpumalanga increased by 26, Gauteng by three and the Free State by two.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Northern Cape has recorded a decrease of four in crash figures, with Eastern Cape and the Western Cape stabilising at the same figure of 82\u2026 compared to the same period last year,\u201d Minister Peters said.<\/p>\n
Provinces which have recorded an increase in fatalities were Limpopo with 63, Mpumalanga with 44, KwaZulu-Natal with 31, the Free State with 17 and the North West with six.<\/p>\n
Provinces which recorded a decrease in fatalities include the Eastern Cape at 31, the Western Cape as well as the Northern Cape with two, while Gauteng stood at four.<\/p>\n
In Gauteng, 2 509 motorists have been arrested for drinking and driving.<\/p>\n
The Department of Transport continues to engage with the Department of Justice to introduce minimum sentences for negligent and reckless driving.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are seeking to reclassify drunken driving from a Schedule 3 [offence]\u2026 to a more severe Schedule 5 offence to ensure those who negligently cause crashes on the roads do not get bail easily and spend time behind bars,\u201d Minister Peters said.<\/p>\n
Human factors which cause accidents include pedestrian jaywalking at 30.7%, while speed accounted for 15.2%, hit and run accounted for 10.2% and overtaking facing oncoming vehicles was at 7.6%.<\/p>\n
Men account for 78.4% of fatalities. Women account for 21.2%.<\/p>\n
Passengers accounted for 39.2% of fatalities, while pedestrians accounted for 34.3%. Driver errors contributed to 23.8% of the road fatalities.<\/p>\n
Minister Peters encouraged motorists to be responsible on the roads.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese are really trying times. We need everyone to accept that roads are shared spaces and that road safety is everyone\u2019s responsibility,\u201d Minister Peters said.<\/p>\n