Motorists’ safety a priority for DEMS
“It is the driver`s responsibility and legal obligation to ensure that children are buckled up in a safety seat or strapped on a seat belt where available.”
With the festive season upon us, the City of Ekurhuleni’s Disaster and Emergency Management Services (Dems) is urging motorists and passengers to be cautious on the roads.
To generate greater awareness, the emergency service officials are rolling out a Buckle Up Campaign.
Also read: Nuno aims for 900km to assist Edenvale
It started on December 4 and will run until January.
The areas the campaign will focus on the City of Ekurhuleni region include:
• Shopping malls.
• Toll gates on the N17 freeway.
• Filling stations around the Albertina Sisulu and N3 freeways.
• Various taxi ranks.
“It has come to Dems’ attention while attending vehicle collision scenes, that many fatalities are as a result of drivers and passengers not buckling up while travelling,” said Dems spokesperson William Ntladi.
He said children are mostly vulnerable if they are not securely strapped in the vehicle.
Ntladi said it is a common practice for motorists to have children in the front seats without using safety devices to protect them.
“Some motorists still drive with children between the steering wheel and themselves, while others allow children to stand in between the two front seats.”
He said it is not safe to carry a baby or child on the driver’s arms while the vehicle is in motion.
“Children placed on the lap of an adult in the car, are highly exposed to injuries or even death.
“Even if the vehicle is travelling at 60 km per hour, and it comes to a sudden stop, or is involved in a collision in some instances, babies or children are ejected from the vehicle through the windscreen,” said Ntladi.
Ntladi said the legislation stipulates that everyone in a motor vehicle should wear a seat belt while the vehicle is in motion.
“It is the driver’s responsibility and legal obligation to ensure that children are buckled up in a safety seat or are strapped on a seat belt where available.”
To report any life threatening emergencies, call the local emergency and disaster management call centre from the following numbers below:
•10177: National Toll-Free Number.
•112: Cell phone number.
• 011 458 0911: Life threatening Ekurhuleni emergency line.
Also follow us on:
