Mayor urges motorists to stay safe this Easter
Expect more JMPD officers during Easter holidays
The April school holidays have arrived, kicking off the Easter period and bringing with them the prospect of lazy days of relaxation and vacations.
These holidays are usually a time of happiness, when many people feel they can take some leave to spend a few days with their families, either at home or by going away to various holiday destinations.
But, the opposite is also true. It is also the time of year when many motorists disregard the rules of the road and drive under the influence of alcohol, causing the number of accidents, serious injuries and even deaths to increase drastically.
According to the Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg (CoJ), councillor Herman Mashaba, 45 residents from Roodepoort and surrounding areas were involved in fatal accidents during last year’s Easter period,. “This cannot happen again, and that is why we have called in the help of the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) to launch an Easter Road Safety Campaign,” said Mashaba.
One life lost is one too many. #EasterRoadSafey #MashabaInAction pic.twitter.com/4vVe9lSoHr
The campaign was launched on 4 April at the N1 Grasmere Toll Plaza and was attended by Mashaba, the Member of the Mayoral Committee for Public Safety, councillor Michael Sun and members of the JMPD. The campaign will be run by the Department of Public Safety throughout the seven regions of the CoJ.
The campaign aims to educate road users about the importance of adhering to both traffic laws and the city’s by-laws, and the need for vehicle and driver fitness. It also aims to reduce road fatalities, prevent motorists from drinking and driving, reduce incidents of speeding, raise awareness about pedestrian safety, inform residents about public transport compliance and prevent crime.
To ensure the campaign goals are reached, JMPD officers will conduct various stop and search operations by way of roadblocks, increase park patrols, remove motorists driving under the influence and run various safety information campaigns throughout the Easter period.
Mashaba added that although it is the city’s responsibility to ensure the safety of its residents, residents should also take responsibility for their actions, ensure they obey the rules of the road, and not endanger fellow residents.
In cases of emergency, residents can contact the CoJ Emergency Management Services on 011 375 5911. All traffic-related incidents or offences can be reported to the JMPD Traffic Hotline on 080 872 3342.
How do you feel about the Easter Road Safety Campaign being launched? Do you think these steps should only be taken during holiday periods, or do you feel this should be done throughout the year? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment in the box below.
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