Over 500 motorists arrested during Easter road safety campaign

More than 500 motorists have been arrested for various traffic offences across the country, including drunk driving and speeding, during the Easter road safety campaign.

This follows a sharp increase in traffic volumes over the Easter holidays, with many holidaymakers traveling to different destinations around the country. Transport Minister Barbara Creecy briefed the media at the Kranskop Toll Plaza on the N1 highway in Limpopo.

The Minister praised the effectiveness of law enforcement and the current deployment plan to improve road safety over the Easter period. Creecy highlighted the rare achievement of the N1 route in Limpopo recording no fatal crashes during the Easter holidays.

“This is a rare occurrence on this route. And it speaks of the effectiveness of our law enforcement and deployment plan in improving road safety outcomes. And let me take this opportunity to extend my thanks, particularly to the MEC and her team for the incredible work that they have done throughout this weekend in keeping people safe on the N1 and on the other routes in Limpopo.”

She also revealed that more than 20,000 traffic fines were issued during this Easter period.

“We take violation of particularly public driver permits and other public permits very seriously. There were other outstanding people that were also arrested. The highest number of drunk drivers is still in the Eastern Cape, where we have now arrested 111 people,” she adds.

Gauteng traffic police spokesperson Obed Sibasa says three more fatal crashes have been reported, bringing the total to 18 crashes in the province with 19 fatalities, 11 of whom were pedestrians. He says major contributions to this are speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, and fatigue.

“The talk of contributing factors—speed, driving under the influence, and fatigue—for now, those are our main contributing factors. From the look of things, it looks like we are doing good in Gauteng as law enforcement agencies. We don’t want to be picking up body packs on our freeways; we don’t want to see people dying. What do you want to see? Do you want to see people driving or walking out to different destinations and coming back safely without, you know, injuries or without counting fatalities,” says Sibasa.

Road users are reminded to drive safely and comply with the rules of the road.