Earlier in December we received an email from a visitor to the Arrive Alive website who raised concern at not seeing enough traffic officers on the road. His complaint was the following:
“I dont know if my comments will make an impact. I drove up to Gauteng (on the N1) last week. I was shocked at the lack of visible policing on the road. Most of the cops I saw was cowering behing bushes with cameras.(making money instead of preventing carnage on the road) I am no expert i dont think that this is helping your campaign. so if i was speeding i would not have slowed down. Most drivers if they see a car with a light on top either slow down or at least check their speed. Another disturbing fact was the trucks that drove so close behind one another that it was impossible to overtake one at a time. I think if they can be taught common decency this also prevent some accidents.(not all trucks behave like this).
On our way back I actaully saw 4 buses tail- gating one another. And the cops was sitting in the bush with their cameras making money. I think during this month all cops must be deployed on the roads driving up and down and be visible and not be making money. “
We referred this to Ashref Ismail, heading Enforcement at the RTMC and received a reply:
“Hello Grant
Thank you for your comments on the observations made along the N1. Rest assured that the National Rolling Enforcement Plan looks at various offences and deals with each one according to the priority and resources available. Visible traffic law enforcement and high impact enforcement is a major objective of “Operation Safer Festive Season” where our aim is to stop and check 1 million vehicles nation-wide.
Already more than 450 000 vehicles have been screened at various roadblocks and roadside check-points. Since speed too high for the circumstances is a leading cause of crashes, it also remains the most unpopular form of enforcement, but, unfortunately, has to be policed as well. The nature of human behavior is such that unless there are consequences and repercussions, not everyone of us will be compliant, so visible policing for speed violations will not yield results as people will merely slow down when they see the traffic police and continue travelling at high speed thereafter. By concealing the cameras, we want motorists to keep within the speed limits at ALL times and not just when they see a marked police vehicle.
The fact that you did not see any traffic police will be addressed as that is unacceptable.
Thank you for your comments and travel safely.
Kind regards
Ashref Ismail
Senior Manager: Enforcement Co-Ordination Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC)”
We would like to invite the public to share their personal experiences – both good and bad – and tell us whether they experienced visible traffic enforcement. This will allow us to share these comments with the RTMC and provide them with more information and follow-up!
Drive Safely and Arrive Alive!!
Also view: Rolling Enforcement Plan