Ensuring road safety is key this Easter Holiday Season
As many South Africans prepare to drive away for Easter holidays, the South African Tyre Manufacturing Conference (SATMC) is urging drivers to conduct a pre-holiday check before departure.
Every life lost on our roads due to reckless and negligence driving is a tragedy and will leave the family with pain not only this Easter Season but for the rest of their lives and Road Safety continues to be a matter of grave concern to communities especially during Easter Holiday Season.
The rush to make profit gives rise to serious forms of dangerous driving such as reckless and negligent driving.
Gauteng Department of Community Safety led by MEC Sizakele Nkosi Malobane this Easter Holiday Season will be involved in a number of Road Safety activation as part of their oversite role on Law Enforcement Agencies in the Province.
According to the preliminary 2018 Festive Season Road Safety report by Minister of Transport, Dr Blade Nzimande in January 2019 indicated that Gauteng recorded a 19 percent decrease in road fatalities. The report covers the period from December 1, 2018, to January 8 2019. We noted that Gauteng’s improvement in terms of road safety which is attributed to drivers and pedestrians obeying the rules of the road and the intensification of road safety operations and education programmes by enforcement authorities.
“We will ensure that our Law Enforcement Agencies work tirelessly to ensure the safety of passengers in Gauteng during the Easter Season and beyond. I call upon the Law Enforcement Authorities to act decisively in dealing with those drivers who don’t comply with the rules of the road and appeal to road users to be vigilant, patient and to adhere to the rules of the road to save the lives of passengers,” said Nkosi- Malobane.
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As many South Africans prepare to drive away for Easter holidays, the South African Tyre Manufacturing Conference (SATMC) is urging drivers to conduct a pre-holiday check before departure.
“The holidays are approaching, and with that comes an increased incident of road accidents, a great percentage of which are caused by worn tyres,” said Carlo Baldocchi, Tyre Sector Manager at SATMC.
“With all new passenger vehicle tyres being fitted with tread wear indicators (TWI), moulded into the tyre’s tread grooves, checking your own tyres has never been easier. This Easter, we urge drivers to check their tyre tread wear and four other vital tyre safety elements before they leave on a long journey. This will give them peace of mind about their own safety, as well as that of their passengers, other motorists and pedestrians using the road,” he continues.
Baldocchi’s advice for hitting the road safety
• Check your route
• Check engine fluids
• Check your tyres
• Ensure you have basic tools in case of emergency
• Make sure you’ve saved important emergency numbers
“If every driver does this simple you check this Easter, together we can make our roads a much safer and a less risky place for all travellers,” Baldocchi concludes.
During this period, many valuable lives are continuously lost as a result of road traffic accidents. “We are however encouraged by the fact that Gauteng has recorded a commendable decrease in road fatalities in the previous Festive season which is a step in the right direction as we build up towards a safer Easter season,” added Malobane.
Tips to avoid accidents and improve safety on the roads
• Avoid overloading of passengers and goods
• Wear your seatbelt and cellphone use while driving is a serious offence
• Stop and searches are for your safety
• Transporting dangerous goods should comply with by-laws
The Gauteng Department of Community Safety would like to wish all the citizens of Gauteng a safe Easter Holiday Season
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