Road accidents cost the South African economy R306-billion a year, and this huge cost and the loss of thousands of lives could be avoided if motorists changed their behaviour.
This is the view of Government Communication and Information System acting CEO Phumla Williams, who says that government regards safety as a top priority on roads and, as a result, continuous work is being done to provide the best transport infrastructure to try to reduce fatalities on the roads.
However, Williams notes that, despite inadequate infrastructure continuing to be a challenge, as it leads to a high number of road accidents, irresponsible drivers are the prime reason for fatalities on the roads in most cases.
“Accidents can often be prevented, as more than 90% of them occur when traffic regulations are violated,” she says.
Consequently, the Recycling and Economic Development Initiative of South Africa (Redisa) says that better vehicle and tyre maintenance by motorists should be taken into consideration to ensure roadworthy vehicles.
Redisa director Stacey Davidson points out that, in a national survey undertaken by Redisa in December last year, more than 1 000 motorists were questioned about maintenance regarding their vehicles and tyres. A total of 46% indicated that they checked the alignment and balance of their vehicles only when new tyres were fitted.
“About 56% of motorists admitted that they do not have compressor, tyre-pressure gauge or tyre-repair kits in their cars for emergencies. Further, once new tyres have been fitted, motorists are less likely to check the alignment of the tyres,” she adds.
Redisa believes that improving driving habits and tyre maintenance will go a long way towards saving lives and mitigating the environmental issue caused by about 270 000 t of waste tyres being generated every year.