Pretoria: Law enforcement officers have arrested more than 90 motorists and issued 5,626 traffic fines on the first day of the national festive season road safety campaign. The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) reported that the arrests, made on December 1, were linked to offences such as driving under the influence of alcohol, speeding, and reckless or negligent driving, among others.
According to South African Government News Agency, of particular concern is that more than a third of the individuals had outstanding warrants of arrests against their traffic fines, which they had ignored to pay. The RTMC advised motorists to ascertain if they have outstanding traffic fines before embarking on their holiday trips in the coming weeks.
The festive period is likely to pose challenges for law enforcement due to an increase in the number of vehicles, heavy rainfalls, and infrastructure-damaging storms. The number of registered vehicles in the country has risen from approximately 13,613,451 in September to 13,646,029 in October.
The RTMC noted that the increase in vehicle populations will likely burden officers and cause more congestion on the roads during peak travel periods. Travellers planning long-distance trips are advised to carefully consider their time of travel and avoid nighttime, as more crashes occur after sunset.
Motorists are further advised to take into account that heavy rains experienced by the country recently have compromised the quality of some roads. Therefore, travel should occur when visibility is clear to avoid possible potholes that can cause serious damage to vehicles and affect the festive season spirit.