Yay or nay for new road rules?
Will proposed new road rules put a stop to the carnage on our roads? That is the question.
It seems something is finally going to be done to try to curb the carnage and road fatalities on our roads from May this year.
This after Ishmael Mnisi, the spokesperson for the Minister of Transport revealed the Department of Transport’s proposed road regulations as reported by the Herald‘s sister newspaper, Bosveld Review, under the headlines ‘New road rules to be implemented in May’ and ‘Here’s when South Africa’s new speed limits and other road rules will come into effect’ by Business Tech.
The first regulation, said to be effective as of 1 May 2017, ” … will prohibit bakkie drivers from both transporting children in the back of their vehicles, as well as stop them from carrying more than five passengers in the vehicle’s load bay”.
It’s reported further that “other major proposed regulations first brought to light in 2015, would be open for public comment within the coming months, with the idea that the rules would be implemented officially within the next year.”
These new regulations include drivers having to undergo a practical re-evaluation when renewing a driver’s licence; a complete review of the current K53 test; speed limits to be reduced from 60km/h to 40km/h in urban areas, from 100 to 80km/h in rural areas and from 120 to 100km/h on freeways running through residential areas. In additin, goods vehicles above 9 ton GVM are to be banned from public roads during peak travelling times.
I think these regulations could work but there must be harsh consequences if motorists do not obey the law.
What do you think? Email us with your opinion at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za
