New road regulations proposed
JOBURG – Draft regulations intended to curb road carnage include reducing speed limits and restricting the use of heavy vehicles on public roads and much more.
The highest speed limit on South African roads may soon be 100km/h. This is if the Department of Transport goes ahead with its proposed plans that have been described by some as unrealistic.
The Minister of Transport on 11 May announced her intentions to amend the National Road Traffic Regulations in a proposed act published in the Government Gazette.
This latest move is allegedly aimed at stopping road carnage.
The draft regulation proposes:
- Reducing the general speed limit in urban areas to 40km/h, to 80km/h on roads other than freeways outside urban areas, and 100km/h on freeways passing through residential areas
- Drivers to be re-evaluated when renewing a licence
- Ensuring workers are safely transported in the back of properly enclosed goods vehicles and limiting their numbers
- No more than five people to be carried in a bakkie load bed
- Outlawing paid transportation of children to school on bakkies
- Banning goods vehicles over 9tons on urban roads between 6am and 9am, and 5pm and 8pm.
National Chairperson at Justice Project South Africa, Howard Dembovskysaid, “The current amendments look like someone had a brain malfunction; they are nonsensical and impractical.
“For example to renew a licence as it stands, one needs to take a day off from work. When people have to take some sort of practical test, they will have to book, and right now, bookings take anything between three weeks’ and six months’ waiting period. We issue half a million new licences a year and 11 million people are licence holders.
“The department needs to come up with practical solutions to practical problems before they come to the public for comment,” he said.
According to Dembovsky, the proposed regulations have less to do with road safety and more to do with revenue generation for authorities.
Peggie Mars of Wheel Well at Brightwater Commons in Randburg welcomes the proposed amendments.
“It is absolutely brilliant that they are making sure no children are carried on the back of bakkies. The time to transport children on bakkies has passed because they are not secured and at risk.”
According to Mars, by reducing the speed limits, the Transport Department is increasing chances of survival and minimal injuries in accidents.
“Eight out of 10 children get severely hurt when hit by a car travelling at 65km/h; however, if a car is travelling at 50km/h five out of 10 survive the crash,” she said.
Comments on the proposal will be accepted for four weeks from publication.
What are your thoughts on the draft regulations?
