The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has recorded 7 448 arrests on South African roads during the festive season, between 1 December 2024 and 1 January 2025, after the corporation confirmed that ‘more than a million vehicles’ had been checked by authorities across South Africa, Cape {town} Etc reports.
Individuals that were arrested had charges that included drunk driving, speeding and attempted bribery, according to South Africa Government News.
The highest breath alcohol level that was recorded during this time was 2.47mg/1000ml on the R61 in Lusikiki, Eastern Cape, on 27 December 2024, as reported by IOL.
Currently, the legal alcohol limit for motorists on South African roads is 0.05 grammes per 100 millilitres.
‘The arrests were made from 1 December 2024 and 1 January 2025 according to RTMC. Eastern Cape recorded 455 arrests for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol in December. The highest speed recorded was in Limpopo on the N1 (where) a motorist was caught driving 209km/h in a 120km/h zone on 17 December,’ the RTMC said in a press statement on Facebook.
‘By January 1, a total of 1 157 032 vehicles were stopped and checked by Road Traffic Authorities as part of the festive season enforcement plan aimed at promoting safety on national roads. Officers issued 408 783 written charges for various traffic violations and 6034 vehicles were discontinued. The RTMC continues to caution motorists to be cautious when driving under rainy conditions,’ the RTMC added.
In the Western Cape, Isaac Sileku, MEC for Mobility, urged road safety after he was involved in an incident, narrowly avoided a potential collision when the vehicle he was travelling in was ‘almost driven off the road by a reckless driver on the N1 between Three Sisters and Beaufort West’.
‘The reckless driver, who was overtaking multiple vehicles and forcing others off the road, was tracked down at an Engen garage and apprehended as part of the Average Speed Over Distance (ASOD) operation on the N1,’ said Sileku.
‘Records revealed the driver had been travelling at a staggering 182km/h in a 120km/h zone. The individual was subsequently arrested for excessive speeding, a serious offence that endangers the lives of all other road users,’ Sileku added.
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