Get serious about road safety

Another day, another senseless death on the roads. This time, though, the young person gone too soon is Deputy Mineral Resources Minister Bavelile Hlongwa – an intelligent, capable young woman who might have, in time, made a difference to the country.

Her concern for others led to her death on Friday night in a horror smash in the N1 highway north of Pretoria. She stopped to assist people involved in a rollover crash and was herself – along with four other people – killed when a truck ploughed into the accident scene.

There are many questions which need to be asked in the wake of the tragedy. Without knowing the details, we are almost certain they involved human negligence, to a greater, or lesser, extent.

The N1 is notorious for highway carnage, especially over weekend when booze, speed and plain incompetence become a deadly cocktail. It is time to crack down on moving violations on this and all roads.

Arrest people while they are breaking the law, do not send them photos of excessive speed weeks later. If people don’t get serious about road safety, then Hlongwa’s death will have been in vain.

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