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Woensdag, 25 Mei 2016 | Tel: 021 910 6500 | epos: nuus@tygerburger.co.za
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TRAFFIC RULES: DISREGARD ‘TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE’
To stop, or not ... ANDRÉ BAKKES
@andrebakkes
D
isregarding stop signs are becoming a massive concern for authorities and road users who abide by the
rules. According to Mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith, nearly 14 500 fines were issued for driving offences across the metropole in January, February and March. Many of these fines were issued for the failure to stop at a stop street, which carries a punishment of R1500. Smith responded to TygerBurger’s queries relating to the junction on Rothschild and Malmesbury roads, where a concerned reader pointed out that many vehicles never come to a full stop at the stop street. The reader’s particular concern is that there is a school nearby (Panorama Primary) and that a child might get injured trying to cross the road.
Problem at every single stop street This transgression is, according to local ward councillor Sakkie Pretorius, a problem at every single stop street in the City of Cape Town’s 10 500km road network. “This is more than just a lack of discipline by drivers. It is totally unacceptable,” states Pretorius. “It is a huge problem for the underresourced traffic department. They can’t be everywhere at once. If just one or two percent of road users disobey the rules, then we can do something about it, but what happens if four or five percent follow suit? It will be chaos on our roads.” Unfortunately more than 5% of drivers fail to come to a complete stop at a stop street. Says Smith: “Cape Town Traffic Services tries to proactively enforce the provisions of the National Road Traffic Act as far as possible, but it must be understood that we have limited resources. It is also a myth that more resources will deal with the problem. Ultimately, driver behaviour is the only real way to curb this and other
at have become commontransgressions tha place. “Any transgresssion in terms of the law is a concern. However, we are erned about the particularly conce disregard for traffiic signs in residential areas. This puts other road users and the general public in harm’s h way, particularly chilc dren who are mosst vulnerable.”
Be considerate Panorama Primary’s principal, Anton Mostert, says the traffic around the school is understandably particularly heavy just before and after school hours. “We can only ask for visible enforcement by authorities, provide supervised crossings and educate the children about pedestrian safety. I think alll gle schools strugg with the same probp eeding,” lems, such as spe he explains. The disregard of rules in d has been a Malmesbury Road ny years. headache for man d users to be considSmith asks road e behind the wheel, but erate when they’re ves the best route availauntil that day arriv ble for residents to assist officers is to report any traffic isssues to 021 596 1999, in orecting enforcement operder to assist in dire cludes: “Members ations. Smith concludes: Members of the public can also approach their local subcouncil to lobby for traffic calming measures like speed humps and pedestrian crossings.”
Motorists are showing a blatant disregard of the rules of the road.
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