A preliminary report from the Western Cape Department of Health’s Forensic Pathology Services indicates that seven road users died on the province’s roads this weekend.
Western Cape Provincial Traffic Services arrested 37 motorists for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol on 15 and 16 April 2016. Two other arrests were made: a grape seller on the N1 near Worcester and one in connection with overloading on the N1 near Beaufort West.
Breath testing was performed on 1 197 drivers at 26 alcohol blitz roadblocks across the province. The highest breath alcohol reading was recorded in the Somerset West service area. At 1,17 mg of alcohol/ 1 000 ml of breath, this is five times the legal limit of 0,24 mg/ 1 000 ml.
A total of 10 156 vehicles were screened for speeding and 1 108 speeding offences were recorded. The highest speeds recorded were 176 km/h in a 120 km/h zone on the N1 in the Brackenfell service area, 141 km/h in a 100 km/h zone on the N2 in the Mossel Bay service area, and 112 km/h in an 80 km/h zone on the N2 in the Knysna service area.
A total of 117 fines in the amount of R222 500 were issued for various traffic law infringements, including driver and vehicle fitness violations.
Details of the road fatalities over the weekend follow:
Friday, 15 April
Overberg
- Swellendam – one driver (light motor vehicle collided with a truck, resulting in the death of the light motor vehicle driver).
Cape Winelands
- R44 Klapmuts – two passengers (head-on collision between two light motor vehicles. A tourist and her daughter were killed in one of the vehicles).
Cape Metropole
- Robert Sobukwe Palotti – one driver (a light motor vehicle collided with a passenger bus, resulting in the death of the light motor vehicle driver).
- N2 Bhunga – one pedestrian got knocked down by a light motor vehicle.
Sunday, 17 April
Cape Metropole
- N1 Old Oak Brackenfell – two drivers (the driver of a bakkie drove on the wrong side of the freeway towards Cape Town and collided with a light motor vehicle. The bakkie caught alight and the driver was burnt beyond recognition. The driver of the light motor vehicle also died in the crash).
The Department of Transport and Public Works encourages road users to #BeTheChange that they want to see on Western Cape roads. They can do this by not drinking and driving, by buckling up in the front and back at all times, by not using a cell phone while driving, by driving and walking carefully and considerately, and by always remaining within the speed limit.
Follow Safely Home on Twitter @WCGovSafelyHome under the hashtag #BeTheChange
Media enquiries:
Kenny Africa
Provincial Traffic Chief
Department of Transport and Public Works
Tel: 021 483 5114/ 7823
Cell: 084 562 4574
Email: Kenneth.Africa@westerncape.gov.za
Or
Byron la Hoe
Communication Officer
Department of Transport and Public Works
Tel: 021 483 9813
Cell: 079 281 8570
Email: Byron.laHoe@westerncape.gov.za