Two additional taxis were impounded and one taxi driver apprehended this morning, Friday, 18 October, for driving in the oncoming lanes on Beyers Naudé Drive over the N1 Highway bridge.
The two taxis brought the number of taxis impounded this week to eight, following the six that were initially taken off the road on Wednesday, 15 October.
Read the initial article here:
https://roodepoortnorthsider.co.za/307316/taxi-drivers-arrested-for-driving-in-oncoming-lanes-on-beyes-naude-drive/
The Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) spokesperson Superintendent Wayne Minnaar, who was at the scene with other officers monitoring potential offenders during peak hour traffic, said that the purpose of the operation was to send a strong message to taxi drivers who violate the rules of the road. The operation also follows numerous complaints of reckless driving by taxis on this road.
“A very strong message went out on Wednesday when we arrested the six drivers who were driving on the wrong side of the road facing oncoming traffic. The message is they have to obey the rules of the road because we are serious about reducing the number of road accidents on our roads,” he explained.
The Northsider noted that the main cause of the traffic violations by taxi drivers is the high volumes of traffic on Beyers Naudé Drive heading towards the Johannesburg CBD. Minnaar was asked whether the JMPD had any solutions to alleviate the daily congestion, and responded by saying, “The volumes of traffic are very high on Beyers Naudé Drive no matter how many traffic officers we can put there. The best thing motorists and taxi commuters can do is to travel earlier in order to get to their places of work on time”.
