MURRAY WILLIAMS and SAPA
The government is urgently investigating possible speed limit cuts on the country’s roads to counter rocketing fuel prices, a move some say could reduce road deaths and preserve road infrastructure for longer.
Energy Minister Dipuo Peters has asked for the investigation by her officials in conjunction with Transport Minister S’bu Ndebele and his experts.
Peters said in a statement yesterday: “I have instructed my team to determine the level at which a reduction of the speed limit may be necessary.”
Her spokesman, Ndivhuwo Khangale, said of the proposal, not seen since the 1970s when anti-apartheid sanctions limited fuel supplies in South Africa: “Nothing concrete has been finalised.” But Ndebele’s spokesman, Logan Maistry, confirmed that officials were working on options to present to the two ministers for a decision.
Peters said last week’s increase, which saw fuel prices hover around R10 a litre, could disrupt economic growth in the country and cause major disruptions in countries that did not have the currency strength to counter the increases.
She urged people to consider whether they really needed to drive somewhere, or whether they could rather walk or use lift clubs.
She questioned speeding away from traffic lights and recommended not using air-conditioning during winter since this could add 8 percent to fuel consumption.
Western Cape Transport MEC Robin Carlisle said the possible speed limit cuts were “the best news I’ve heard in weeks ”. He said he would be writing to Ndebele today to express his full support.
“The benefits would be four-fold,” he said. “One, you save fuel, and these savings can be huge, depending on what type of limits are being considered.
“Two, it’s going to have a huge impact on road safety, probably the most profound impact possible, if it’s policed. If you took 20km off the speed limit say from 120 to 100km/h, from 100 to 80km/h, etc, the impact would be huge.
“In the late 1970s, when speed limits were cut, the death rates dropped like a stone. Take a road like the R27 (West Coast road): probably 80 percent of fatalities would not have occurred if the speed had been 90 or 100km/h, instead of 120km/h.
“Three, you extend the life of your roads as, obviously, lower speeds result in less pounding on your roads. And four, your balance of trade improves – we would import less.”
Carlisle said speed limit cuts would have to be done “sensibly” and MECs from all nine provinces were due to meet Ndebele on June 17 when he would offer more input for the minister’s consideration.
Provincial Finance MEC Alan Winde said any study that looked at protecting consumers was a good idea, but suggested that cracking down on alcohol-related road deaths had an even greater potential to cut costs and save lives.
“These deaths cost around R7 billion a year in the Western Cape. But speed also kills, and costs, so we welcome this study,” Winde said.
AA spokesman Gary Ronald said: ”On speed in general, and for road safety reasons, we have called for lower speed limits in areas where there are a lot of pedestrian activity – like near schools, churches and shopping malls.
“Also, all speed limits should be reconsidered as part of a road safety audit, because of other factors like the quality of our roads.”
This would not require a change to the national speed limit of 120km/h, but could see lower speed limits on many roads, such as from 100 to 80km/h.
Asked whether the national speed limit of 120km/h should be reduced, Ronald said there was a strong lobby that wanted this increased, which the AA opposed.
“But the truth remains that the slower you travel, the less serious the injury if you are in a crash.”