| Most people around South Africa and around the | | | | In reply to this terrible road accident news, Transport |
| world are aware of the sometimes shocking crime | | | | Minister Sibusiso Ndebele, revealed in January that they |
| statistics in South Africa. A lesser known fact though, | | | | will FINALLY be implementing the demerit system that |
| is the shocking amount of road accidents and fatalities | | | | has been discussed in great length for the last four or |
| that take place on South African roads on a daily | | | | five years. He said that the aim is to implement this |
| basis. What are the road accident statistics and what | | | | road safety system from the 1st of April this year. |
| is being done to resolve this obvious road safety | | | | How does the demerit system work? |
| issues in our country? | | | | Drivers start with a clean slate of 12 points each year. |
| The Statistics | | | | For every road safety violation of any kind, drivers will |
| Recent statistics indicate that an average of 36 | | | | be fined as usual, however, they will now also be |
| people die on South Africa’s roads on an average | | | | docked a certain number of points depending on the |
| day. We then have the shockingly high death toll that | | | | extent of their violation. EG: Driving 30km/h over the |
| we experience over Easter weekend and the festive | | | | speed limit will result in 4 points being docked off your |
| season every year. The 2010 December/January | | | | allocation of 12 points. If all of a driver’s points are |
| festive season in South Africa resulted in over 1500 | | | | lost, that driver will have their license suspended for a |
| deaths as a result of accidents on the road. In the four | | | | certain amount of time, thus avoiding them from |
| days over the 2009 Easter weekend, there were 197 | | | | causing further road accidents. |
| fatalities due to road traffic accidents. Good news for | | | | The system significantly rewards safe drivers. If you |
| roadside assistance trucks and companies that repair | | | | make it through a year without losing any points and |
| autoglass, however this does not bode well for our | | | | without making road accident news, you receive |
| road safety. | | | | another 12 points; your existing points get carried over |
| The shocking statistic in relation to this is that 90% of | | | | and you get given one bonus point. This means you will |
| all these accidents occurred as a result of one or | | | | have 25 points for the next year. Personally, I think this |
| more of the parties involved in the accident, having | | | | is a bit too rewarding, but at least it’s sending out a |
| broken at least one road safety law prior to the | | | | message that driving with road safety in mind will be |
| collision. Infringements that are recognized as | | | | rewarded. |
| “breaking the law” on the road can be anything | | | | There is no doubt that South African road safety is a |
| from speeding to ignoring a road safety sign. The | | | | massive issue in the country. Only time will tell if the |
| culprits, according to Transport Minister Sibusiso | | | | demerit system will eventually be implemented, and |
| Ndebele, are not any particular group of people, but | | | | whether or not it will have a positive effect on the |
| rather selfish individuals who don’t care for other | | | | road accident statistics in South Africa. In the |
| motorists on the road. | | | | meantime, remember to be safe and “arrive alive! |
| What's being done? | | | | |