Common sense needed on roads

It is disturbing that over 200 deaths have already been recorded in Gauteng during the annual festive holiday carnage on South Africa’s roads.

It is axiomatic that this is far too many. Perhaps the most disturbing statistic is that of the 59 pedestrian casualties recorded, nearly 10% involved children under the age of five which reinforces the words of Gauteng community safety MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane that small children have to be watched non-stop.

The major causes of death are listed as jaywalking pedestrians, hit-and-run crashes, speeding, overtaking in the face of oncoming traffic, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and driver fatigue.

All of these could arguably be avoided using common sense and driving within the country’s accepted safety limits.

So our fervent hope remains that the road deaths are kept to a minimum over this period and to wish all The Citizen readers a safe return home.

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