Easter deaths: Why so many died
2011-04-29 09:08
EASTER BLOODBATH: At least 203 people were killed on South Africa's roads over the recent Easter long weekend.
The Road Traffic Management Corporation has released the preliminary death toll figures for the Easter 2011 holiday break.
This period was characterised by heavy traffic along all arterial routes, the RTMC said.
The national preliminary death toll for the 2011 Easter weekend stands at 203 and the preliminary provincial break-down for fatal crashes is::
KwaZulu-Natal 43
Gauteng 32
Limpopo 30
Mpumalanga 29
Eastern Cape 25
Free State 17
North West 11
Northern Cape 9
Western Cape 7
However, the RTMC said it was working with the South African Police Service to reduce the variation between the preliminary and the final figures. The preliminary figures were based on culpable homicide cases reported to the police and the RTMC said using the SAPS reports has shown an improvement in data accuracy.
The RTMC's investigations reveal the major factors contributing to the high death toll were: inappropriately high speeds, especially at night and during bad weather, vehicle fitness, dangerous and distracted driving and pedestrians' ignoring certain rules of the road.
The corporation also reports that many vehicle occupants, particularly those seated in rear seats, still fail to buckle up while travelling.
With another long weekend ahead, the RTMC - as part of its Make Roads Safe Campaign - warned road users that traffic law enforcement would be on high alert. Speedsters, drunken drivers and pedestrians as well as operators of unroadworthy public passenger transport vehicles have been warned.
