Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga has once again urged motorists and road users to be safe on the roads as she led yet another festive season Road Safety Awareness Campaign.
The minister’s message comes just when Arrive Alive confirmed an incident in which a truck driver reportedly fell unconscious after choking from inhaling smoke after cooking with a gas stove while driving on the N3.
Reports indicate that the driver was rescued by community members who removed him from the truck.
It is reported that the driver is currently in a critical condition following carbon monoxide poisoning.
On Wednesday, the minister took safety campaign to Heidelburg’s Weighbridge on the N3 near Johannesburg, where she urged road users to heed caution on the country’s roads as carnages continue to increase.
This comes as Western Cape traffic officials have reported an increase in drunk drivers and road accidents, with 55 people killed in 45 crashes in the province since December 1.
The minister said human behaviour was to blame as more than 86% of road accidents were due to human behaviour.
“It is extremely worrying for us because, if you look at the patterns, it would seem like long weekends mean nothing but bingeing on alcohol and driving, and people walking on our streets being drunk. Therefore it’s a combination of drunk drivers and drunk pedestrians, followed by hit-and-runs and cars that overturn by themselves. So we’re not doing well at all as a country in terms of fatalities and fatal crashes,” Chikunga said.
The minister has indicated that this year’s festive season road safety awareness campaign seeks to prioritise and promote safer road usage during the high-peak season on South African roads.
The objective of the campaign is not only to ensure smooth flows of traffic, but also to prevent negligent and reckless driving which could result in road crashes, injuries and fatalities.
The road safety awareness campaign was launched in the last week of November and is a collaboration between different levels of government, transport entities led by CEOs, private sector organisations, NGOs and key stakeholders and role-players.
Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, Road Traffic Management Corporation CEO Makhosini Msibi urged road users and especially truck drivers to be cautious on the road this holiday season.
He said perceptions and driver attitudes were a major factor in the country’s battle with road accidents.
“We are here in Heidelburg to particularly deal with the truck drivers, because n Gauteng the trucking industry is a massive one in terms of our system. If you look at the perceptions and causes of major accidents, there is a perception in South Africa that most of the accidents are caused by truck drivers.
“We are here to engage with them and to deal with the phenomenon of fatigue ‒ most of the crashes are caused by fatigue. At the very same time, this engagement will educate us,” he said.
The Star