More than 100 people were arrested in the Western Cape over the past week on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Also read: Cyclist knocked over by drunk driver in Simon’s Town
In addition, officials stopped and checked 45 302 vehicles across the province, and 14 993 fines were issued.
The MEC for mobility, Ricardo Mackenzie, says even small amounts of alcohol can affect your judgement. ‘Please never drink and drive. If you plan to drink, find a safer way to get home.’
‘If you are a pedestrian, make sure you wear visible clothing, especially at night and when visibility is poor. Don’t walk under the influence along any road. Please find a safer way to get home. If you are driving, always buckle up and ensure that everyone else in your vehicle is buckled up, even on short trips.’
According to the Western Cape Mobility Department, 17 pedestrians and 14 passengers lost their lives in crashes over the past long weekend.
Inspectors reportedly conducted 320 integrated roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints and speed control operations between 18 and 26 December.
During this time, 31 vehicles were impounded, 234 were discontinued due to being unroadworthy, and 374 speeding offences were issued. During this time, provincial traffic services recorded 31 crashes and 37 fatalities, which included four drivers, two motorcyclists, 14 passengers and 17 pedestrians.
In Cape Town, law enforcement agencies made 403 arrests and recorded 65 765 transgressions between 18 and 24 December.
According to TimesLIVE, the City’s traffic services issued 24 333 fines, impounded 225 vehicles and arrested 69 motorists, of whom 68 were for driving under the influence and one for reckless and negligent driving.
Over the long weekend leading up to Boxing Day, the public emergency communication centre recorded 3 409 incidents. These include:
- 477 fires
- 344 noise complaints
- 287 assaults
- 122 domestic violence incidents
- 60 motor vehicle accidents
- 29 incidents of self-harm
- 25 accidents involving pedestrians
The Road Traffic Management Corporation reported that more than 1 738 vehicles were discontinued and 3 340 impounded across the country since 1 December.
Furthermore, more than 4 160 motorists were arrested for either drunk driving, producing false documents, or driving public transport in contradiction with operating permits.
Also read:
Western Cape arrests for drunk driving quadrupled in the last week
Picture: Ricardo Mackenzie / Facebook
