Increased roadblocks expected ahead of Easter weekend

Provinces around South Africa together with the national Department of Transport have initiated policing campaigns for the upcoming long weekend to crack down on road violation during this Easter weekend.

EASTER WEEKEND ROADBLOCKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Many South Africans are expected to travel to different holiday destinations to celebrate the religious Easter weekend.

According to BussinessTech, the Department of Transport launched a road safety campaign aiming to clamp down motorist who violate road rules.

Over thousands of people die on the roads during the Easter weekend season, though through stats, the death rate on roads during this season has positively slowed down.

According to the Traffic Department’s stats the Easter season is particularly fatal, with a 40% increase in deaths over the weekend in 2023 at 225 fatalities in 185 accidents over the four-day period.

Department of Transport minister Sindisiwe Chikunga stated that the road safety campaign should not only be limited to the Easter weekend but should be practised throughout the year.

As with previous years, metros will be increasing their policing over the weekend, with more roadblocks being set up targeting:

• Unroadworthy vehicles
• Drunk driving
• Speeding
• Expired driving licences
• Expired vehicle licences

The City of Cape Town has announce their plans to establish to add additional checkpoints with a specific emphasis on long distance operators and vehicle safety.

STATS OF ACCIDENTS IN SOUTH AFRICA DURING 2023

The Automobile Association (AA) in 2023, have recorded 2 500 deaths over the Easter season in the last decade.

According statistics from the AA, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) recorded 270 deaths on South African Roads over the Easter period in 2021 and 162 last year.

In a statement, the AA emphasised that the rise in traffic during the Easter break correlated with an uptick in fatal crashes and road fatalities.