The City’s Safety and Security Directorate is focusing on pedestrian safety following an increase in accidents involving people travelling by foot.
Over this past weekend, the Public Emergency Community Centre found that 28 out of 82 recorded road accidents involved pedestrians. That number is 21 more than the weekend before.
There has also been a 25% increase in pedestrian accidents year-to-year.
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‘The accident statistics, but also the number of complaints received about jaywalking, especially on the freeways, are cause for concern,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
‘Not only do pedestrians gamble with their own lives by walking in areas meant for motorised transport, but they are also putting the lives of vehicle occupants at risk, should a collision occur. And, while some are legitimate pedestrians walking from A to B, the reality is that criminal elements also loiter on the roadways, to target motorists.’
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‘The City’s agencies conduct ongoing awareness and education around pedestrian safety. In recent months, they’ve increased their activities to also issue fines, in terms of national legislation, which prohibits pedestrian activity on the freeways and the road reserves adjacent to them, but also stopping to offload passengers.’
In August, almost 200 cases of pedestrians using the N2 and vehicles stopping to pick up passengers – both illegal acts – were recorded.
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Since the beginning of this month, the Traffic Service has issues 283 fines to pedestrians using the freeway.
The City, knuckling down on arrests and issuing fines, urges pedestrians to stay off the freeway.
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