The rules of wearing a mask while driving
Of particular importance for vehicle owners during the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown, is to ensure passengers wear masks while in a vehicle.
Motorists can be fined as much as R1 000 for breaking this law under the current State of Disaster, says managing director of MasterDrive, Eugene Herbert.
Herbert said while Covid-19 continues to spread, drivers need to treat face masks in the same way that they would a seat belt. ‘Drivers who want to ensure that their passengers are protected from unnecessary harm should a crash be unavoidable, will always ensure that every passenger has a seat belt fastened,’ says Herbert.
‘In the same way that you ensure safety belts are secured before starting, ask passengers to put their face masks on as well. ‘If you struggle to drive with a mask yourself because it fogs up your spectacles, purchase a mask that prevents this,’ he says. Research shows that the wearing of face masks is one of the strongest defences against the transmission of the coronavirus.
Even if a hefty fine is not enough to convince you, the importance of not contracting the disease should. Herbert explains that when it comes to travelling with people with whom you share a home, the law appears to be open to interpretation. ‘If you are pulled over, however, you should wear a face mask when speaking to the police officer,’ he says. ‘As such, keep your mask close at hand for this and in case the officer requests that you wear one with a passenger on board, irrespective of who they are.”
‘There have been instances where officers threaten penalties for not wearing a mask with passengers present, but there are more cases where the officer simply asks you to wear the mask. ‘If the officer does not simply ask you to wear a mask, explain your living situation,’ Herbert advises. According to Herbert there are more reasonable officers than irrational ones.
‘The good ones just don’t make the news or social media because it has no interest factor.” Herbert furthermore says other fines that can affect motorists include fines for travelling outside of curfew times, which begins at 22:00 and ends at 04:00, and failure of public transport operators to observe maximum load capacities.
Police can give a person who has been arrested on suspicion of a less serious crime an option to pay an admission of guilt fine. Such a fine allows a person to admit guilt for a less serious offence without having to appear in court, thereby preventing an unnecessary overload of the court system. It is also meant to resolve less serious matters quickly where an accused person accepts responsibility for having committed a minor offence. However, admission of guilt comes with a criminal record.
Thousands of people have already paid an admission of guilt fine since the national State of Disaster was first declared.
Source: MasterDrive / Motorpress
