Road fatalities exceed those of previous two years

The Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) reports that 44 people died in road accidents between December 1 and January 2.

Of these fatalities, five occurred in Springs and the surrounding areas.

A pedestrian was killed in a hit-and-run when he was hit by a sedan at the intersection of Tonk Meter and Rietfontein roads.

Also read: UPDATE: Third person dies after N17 accident

In the second fatal accident, a passenger died following a two-car accident on Plantation Road and a third person, the driver of one of the two cars involved in an accident at the intersection of Tonk Meter and Mojela roads, was also killed.

In addition, 24 people were arrested for drunken driving in the Springs area.

Of these, 16 arrests were made in Springs and eight in KwaThema.

One cyclist and one driver sustained fatal injuries and died in Tsakane in two separate accidents.

According to chief superintendent Wilfred Kgasago, EMPD spokesperson, 21 of the 44 people who died within their jurisdiction were pedestrians, 13 were passengers, seven were drivers, two were on motorcycles and one was a cyclist.

Also read: ‘Not enough is being done,’ AA says of road carnage

The number of pedestrians killed included two seven-year-old boys and an eight-year-old girl.

Nine of the twenty-one pedestrians were killed on freeways – three on the N3, three on the N12 and three on the R21.

All pedestrians killed were male save for the seven-year-old girl.

Of the 13 passengers who were killed, six perished in one serious accident on the M2 East at the Geldenhuys Interchange which involved a minibus taxi.

One driver died in Daveyton and one in Putfontein on the N12 eastbound.

Two motorbikers died – one on the R24 East at the N3 split and the other on the R59 northbound near the Reading Interchange.

Kgasago says: “Based on the physical evidence at the accident scenes, the fatal accidents can be attributed to drunk driving, excessive speeding, reckless and negligent driving, the bad demeanour and attitude of drivers as well as failure on the part of pedestrians to take proper care and their crossing of the freeways.

“In terms of categorisation of accidents according to types of roads, 24 were killed on national roads (including 10 pedestrians), seven on provincial roads and 13 on CBD or suburban roads.”

EMPD’s records reflect the number of fatalities is higher this year than in 2015 (35 people killed) and 2016 (34 people killed).

In their attempts to curb accidents, the EMPD issued 4 653 summons for offences including those related to equipment on vehicles, defects and moving violations.

Two hundred and seven drivers were arrested for drinking and driving of whom 100 were arrested in the EMPD Eastern Operational region which covers Nigel, Springs, Brakpan, Duduza, KwaThema, Etwatwa and Daveyton.

The Northern Operational region which includes Bromberg, Benoni, Edleen, Kempton Park, Edenvale, Tembisa (Winnie Mandela) saw 91 drivers arrested while the Southern Operational Region had 16 put behind bars.

Eighteen drivers were arrested for excessive speeding.