Search:  
Western Cape Business News
1472
VIEWS

Send  Share  RSS  Twitter  19 Jun 2017

STATISTICS: Cape Chamber Shocked By Road Deaths Report

 



Recent Western Cape Business News

THE REPORT by the Road Traffic Management Corporation’s on the number of deaths on our roads is shocking but it also provides vital information on how to tackle the problem,” says the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

In all 14 071 people died last year, about 1 127 more than in 2015.

“The most disturbing thing about the report,” said Ms Janine Myburgh, President of the Chamber, “is that ‘human factors’ are involved in 77.5 percent of fatal crashes. We are dealing with bad driving and we must ask questions about the standards required for driver’s licences.”

The report also raised serious issues about the enforcement of road safety measures. “Most fatal crashes occurred on Saturdays and Sundays and at night so that is the time when we should have our traffic officers on the roads. I think the report makes a strong case for a new approach to enforcement,” she said.

Drinking and driving were generally blamed for the high accident rate but the report said that only 3.6 percent of last year’s fatal crashes involved “drunk driving or driving while on drugs”.

Ms Myburgh said this raised two questions. “Was drunk driving under reported because crashes were not properly investigated, or was drunk driving used too often as an easy explanation for fatalities? We need answers.”

The report revealed that 16.2 percent of all vehicles were registered in the Western Cape but only 9.2 percent of the fatal crashes took place here. “I think, given the number of our vehicles registered in other provinces, we are doing even better than the numbers indicate,” Ms Myburgh said.

She said the elephant in the room was the municipalities and the inconsistent standards of driver testing. “I’m sure some of them are doing a good job, but the overall picture is one of failure. We should take the job of testing drivers and issuing licences away from the municipalities and privatise it just as we did with the issuing of road worthy certificates for cars. We need greater involvement of the motoring organisation and the short term insurance industry which has a vested interest in reducing the accident rate.”


 
 
 
calvert-gasdecor-and-furniture-cape-townBusiness ProfilesTool Suppliers Cape Townabsolute-weddings-and-events
 
   
 
 
 
  Accomodation
Accommodation


Online Foreign Exchange
Foreign Exchange


Directory
Directory


Fax
Fax 2 Email


Finance
Finance


Furniture
Furniture


Casino
Online Casino


Restaurant
Restaurant


Auctions
Shop Online


Study IT
Study IT Online


Web design
Web Design


Weddings
Weddings


Work
Work from Home
 
 
 
 
 
Company News
 
 

 

© 2024 www.wcbn.co.za. All rights reserved.

Daily Newsletter Subscription

 

Subscribe to the Western Cape Business News Daily News and information email (it's free).

Thank You
Your email address has been added.

Name:
Email Address: