Avoid Last Minute Trips, Police Advise Motorists
Pini Bothoko | Monday July 22, 2019 12:39
A recent police report shows that five people lost their lives in road traffic accidents during the 2019 President’s Day holidays as compared to six who died in the same period last year. Director of traffic, senior assistant commissioner Katlholo Mosimanegape told The Monitor that motorists ought to plan their trips ahead of time to avoid unnecessary accidents on the roads.
Mosimanegape said most people have the habit of taking last minute trips and usually travel at night under the influence of alcohol, which put their lives at risk. He said whilst out drinking, people have the habit of driving from one place to another. Mosimanegape said usually when people are out celebrating, getting together with their friends or families especially on holidays, fatalities start to go up.
“I have observed that a majority of people do not plan for their trips, okare mosepele waba tshoganyetsa and travel long distances at odd hours,” said Mosimanegape. “It is better to travel during the day than at night, especially during holidays where there is heavy traffic.”
He said this year there was an increase in the total number of road traffic accidents as 228 were registered as compared to 202 in 2018. A total of 477 drivers were tested for alcohol and 226 of them were found to be above the prescribed limits. He said this shows that despite their efforts and interventions to sensitise motorists on the dangers of drink and driving, are in vain.
Mosimanegape said what concerns them the most is that motorists like to travel with cooler boxes full of alcohol and drink whilst driving, something that contributes a lot to the rise in road traffic accidents.
He cautioned that people should know that there are consequences to consuming alcohol and getting behind the wheel, as too much drinking inhibits drivers’ skills, distorts their vision and impairs their judgement on the road.
He said imbibers seem to like to forget that they still have to make a return trip home. “I always call on people to consider using public transport than taking lifts because doing so puts their lives at risk not knowing how fit the driver is (behind the wheel),” he said. “Some people have in the past been involved in road accidents only to discover the driver did not even have a drivers’ licence thereafter.”
Mosimanegape went on to say that the majority of motorists who are involved in road traffic accidents were new drivers hence he pleaded with them to avoid driving in heavy traffic until they gain enough driving experience. “I encourage new drivers to consider driving when there is no traffic, familiarise themselves with the road before they expose themselves to heavy traffic. I have observed that a majority of new drivers have the habit of driving long distances whilst they do not have experience in driving, putting their lives at high risk.”