Drunk driving arrests have doubled since last week as motorists continue to throw caution and the safety of others to the wind, says JP Smith, Cape Town’s Mayco member for safety and security.
Also read: Cape Town records concerning uptick in drunk driving arrests
Over the past week, the City’s authorities recorded 54 043 traffic transgressions. Of these, 31 773 were for speeding. The City also impounded 266 vehicles and executed a total of 889 warrants of arrest.
Traffic officers arrested 75 motorists, of whom 58 were for driving under the influence, compared to 28 last week.
‘Speeding, or driving impaired is fine, until you crash and hurt yourself, or even worse, someone else,’ says Smith.
‘Driving is challenging enough in good weather conditions – with the change of seasons, conditions are becoming even more challenging, and so the message to our motoring public is to give that accelerator a break, drive with headlights on at all times, be patient and courteous, and most importantly, steer clear of the bar.’
The City’s law enforcement agencies made 408 arrests and issued 60 889 fines for various transgressions.
In total:
- Law enforcement officers arrested 263 people and issued 4 133 notices
- Metro Police arrested 70 people and issued 2 713 fines
The Public Emergency Communication Centre recorded 1 794 incidents, including 739 medical complaints, 53 fires (compared to 78 last week), 115 assault cases (previous 187), 54 domestic violence incidents (48), 72 road accidents (68) and 218 noise nuisance complaints (272).
Also read:
Five surgeries later, cyclist struck by alleged drunk driver still unable to walk
Picture: Jakob Cotton / Unsplash
