It’s all systems go for the Arrive Alive campaign, with more than 200 traffic officials deployed across the country, to ensure road safety over the Easter long weekend.

 

The officers who have been deployed to the provinces were given a special send-off by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) at the South African Air Force mobile deployment wing in Centurion, on Wednesday.

 

But law enforcement alone cannot prevent road carnage.

 

Acting CEO of the RTMC Collins Letsoalo said: “We want to urge all road users to help us make a difference. We cannot continue having more than 40 people lose their lives per day on South African roads.

 

The authorities have and will continue to ensure that smart and effective enforcement is applied thoroughly. Let us embrace a safer road user behaviour this Easter and beyond. Let’s get there with no regrets.”

 

The National Traffic Police (NTP) will focus on dangerous driving, which includes barrier line infringements, excessive speeding as well as drinking and driving. They will join forces with provincial counterparts to conduct special inter-provincial operations such as compulsory Stop-and-Stretch Points for public passenger transport vehicles. At these operations, driver fitness, vehicle fitness, fatigue management and overloading will also be addressed.

 

The NTP and provincial traffic authorities will be supported by three helicopters along these routes that will assist with aerial surveillance, media liaison and medical evacuation.

 

Letsoalo said: “We want to decrease the road carnage by at least 25% because last year we managed to reduce the death toll by 20%. We urge the community to work with the traffic department to ensure a safe journey.”

 

The unit will collaborate with their provincial counterparts along the following major arterial routes to provide around-the-clock surveillance.

 

QUICK FACTS

 

» Busiest Easter roads

 

» N1 from Pretoria to Polokwane and Beitbridge (N&S), Limpopo

 

» N1 from Beaufort West to Loaingsburg (N&S)

 

» N3 from Villiers to Harrismith (N&S), Free State

 

» N3 van Reenen’s Pass, (N&S), Kwa-Zulu Natal

 

» N4 from Machadadorp to Nelspruit onward-bound to Komatipoort, (E&W), Mpumalanga

 

» N12 from Lenasia to Potchefstroom (E&W), North West

 

» R61 from Beaufort West to Aberdeen onward bound to Graaf Reinett (E&W), Eastern Cape

 

» N61 from Queenstown to Mthatha (N&S)

 

» K573 Moloto to Siyabuswa (N&S), Mpumalanga .