Traffic officers in the Western Cape have been busy this festive season, but so have speeding motorists. According to the Western Cape Provincial Traffic Services, around 279 speeding offences and 5 873 fines have been issued between December 20 – 27, racking up an enormous bill of R8 million.
This past week alone, officers have set up 190 integrated roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints, and speed control operations across the Western Cape with approximately 34 685 vehicles being stopped and checked, reports News24.
As South Africans get into the festive spirit, drunk driving appears to be on the increase with around 20 people having been arrested for drunk driving so far, reports EWN. Western Cape Transport and Public Works MEC Daylin Mitchell shared his frustration on the matter.
“If you are caught driving under the influence, you could land up with a criminal record. […] An error of judgement may mean killing or injuring someone on the road, in another vehicle, or in your own vehicle. The mistake you make in a moment could lead to a lifetime of regret,” he stated.
Unfortunately, the province’s roads have also been the scene of a number of crashes in recent weeks with a total of 35 crashes taking place in the province ad 55 fatalities recorded.
The number of fatalities has increased when compared to 2020, says Western Cape transport and public works department spokesperson Ntomboxolo Makoba-Somdaka.
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