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[File photo] The AARTO system will be introduced in phases and will culminate with the introduction of the points demerit system which will see motorists losing their driver’s licenses for violating traffic laws.
The Road Traffic Infringement Authority (RTIA) has defended its new act that it says is an effort to curb the high number of road fatalities in the country.
RTIA is set to roll out the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences system (AARTO) to 69 municipalities across the country on the 1st of December this year.
Motorists will receive an AARTO infringement notice when committing traffic offences such as speeding or illegal parking.
Once issued, motorists have 32 days to respond. Options include paying the fine with a 50% discount if paid within 32 days.
Some advocacy groups have described the act as a revenue collection rather than promoting safety.
RTIA Spokesperson, Monde Mkalipi, says, “AARTO is 100% a national road safety intervention because even in the way that we have tested it in the two jurisdictions of Tshwane and Joburg and around Gauteng, we’ve seen quite a significant decrease in terms of fatalities that occur on our roads. Even how the system is really structured itself, it really emphasises the element of adjudication because there are disputes that come up between the issuing authorities and the infringers. The option to pay is just one. You still have got the option to come forward and dispute an infringement.”
