Refreshing K53 knowledge may be just what SA drivers need

Something must give. Every year we hear the same tragic story of how many hundreds of people are killed on SA roads, especially during the festive season.

So, we welcome the report in yesterday’s Sunday Times that says “the Road Traffic Management Corporation wants motorists to undergo K53 testing whenever they renew their drivers’ licences, which expire every five years”.

The report went on to say “it also wants to ban young drivers from undertaking trips of more than 150km in the first year of obtaining their driver’s licences. Other proposals include additional tests for drivers of taxis, buses and trucks, which will have a bearing on the decision to grant them professional driving permits”.

Last week, it was announced 767 people had died on SA roads since the start of December. That number will unfortunately rise by mid-January and hundreds more will die in the Easter holidays.

While we are not entirely convinced retesting drivers will solve the problem, it is certainly a step in the right direction. We can’t carry on the same way hoping for different results.

The Arrive Alive campaign is certainly not the answer. One life lost on our roads is one too many.

Be safe over the festive season.

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