Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says there was a significant reduction in road crashes and fatalities over the Easter weekend this year compared to previous years. This is as a result of the national lockdown which has resulted in fewer vehicles being able to travel on the country’s roads.
Releasing the statistics during a joint traffic law enforcement roadblock at the Grasmere Toll Plaza, south of Johannesburg, on Friday, Mbalula says 28 road fatalities were recorded during this year’s Easter Weekend, which is a drop from last year’s 162.
Mbalula says, “As at the end of the Easter weekend, 26 fatal crashes were recorded, which resulted in 28 fatalities. Most crashes involved pedestrians and single vehicles overturned, with contributions of 38% and 19% respectively. This is in contrast with the 128 crashes recorded over the same period in 2019, claiming 162 lives. Drivers constituted 42% of fatalities followed by pedestrians at 31% and passengers at 27%. The 2020 Easter period was extraordinary as there was limited movement. Despite the lockdown there were those allowed to travel.”
Easter Weekend Road statistics:
This year’s Easter holidays came against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a nation-wide lockdown. With 70% reduction of cars on our roads we must commend our people for compliance. #EasterWeekendStats pic.twitter.com/sZZ01IGluO
— Minister of Transport |Mr Fix (@MbalulaFikile) April 17, 2020
On the Provincial breakdown of the 26 crashes, Mpumalanga recorded 6 crashes resulting in 7 fatalities; KwaZulu-Natal had 5 crashes resulting in 6 fatalities; Eastern Cape 5 crashes resulting in 5 fatalities. Free State and Northern Cape had no crash.
Traffic volumes
A reduction in traffic volumes also had a corresponding effect on the number of traffic violations.
“The number of drivers arrested for drunken driving was 11, while the number of drivers caught speeding stood at 1. This is in sharp contrast with 807 arrested for drunken driving and 192 for speeding in 192. However, any attempt to compare year-on-year figures will be an exercise in futility as the material conditions this Easter are fundamentally different from a normal period where traffic is able to move freely,” Mbalula explains.
Mbalula says the total number of arrests for violation of road traffic laws stood at 719, while traffic law enforcement authorities manned 480 roadblocks.
He says, “ A total of 104,140 vehicles were stopped and checked at these roadblocks. The number of vehicles impounded was 236 with 171 vehicles discontinued due to unroadworthiness. Over the same period in 2019, the number of arrests for violation of road traffic laws was 1,343, with 141 roadblocks. The number of vehicles impounded was 1,055, while vehicles discontinued for unroadworthiness stood as 702.”
Mbalula adds, “In addition to enforcing road traffic laws, authorities had to enforce the lockdown regulations and directions. As a consequence, 184 vehicles were stopped and ordered to return home for traveling in contravention of the lockdown regulations and directions.”
Full statement below:
