Pretoria - Mpumalanga MEC for community safety, security and liaison, Vusi Shongwe, has urged truck drivers in the province to use the road in a considerate manner, following incidents of reckless driving by the drivers of the heavy vehicles.
Shongwe made the remarks after participating in a law enforcement operation on Tuesday night on the N4 toll road in Schoemanskloof towards Mbombela.
He lamented that some truck drivers, especially at night, tend to speed excessively and without due consideration of drivers of other vehicle types on the road.
The MEC also observed a convoy of eight haulage trucks driving close behind each other, making it almost impossible for other motorists to manoeuvre or to overtake them.
“Such tendencies breed impatience among drivers, and it may lead to serious crashes. Truck industry is a critical part of our economy. Many truckers are careful on our roads. However, some are inclined to reckless driving, especially at night. We have seen some of them breaking the rules, not stopping at intersections and overtaking dangerously, among others,” said Shongwe.
“We are therefore appealing to truckers and owners to ensure that they play their part in road safety. They should refrain from the bad driver behaviour that often endangers the lives of other road users.”
Shongwe appealed to trucking organisations and unions representing truck drivers to inculcate “a sense of responsible driving” among drivers in the trucking sector.
He also encouraged long-distance drivers to plan their trips in such a way that they rest sufficiently along the way. The Mpumalanga department of community safety, security and liaison said it would continue to engage with the industry to raise road safety awareness as part of its road safety education strategy.
Shongwe also called on law enforcement officers in Mpumalanga to “show no mercy” to drivers breaking the rules of the road, especially with the festive season approaching.
During the operation on Tuesday, members of Traffic Intervention Unit in Mpumalanga stopped at least 296 vehicles which include 171 heavy motor vehicles.
Several summonses were issued for moving violations such as overtaking on a barrier line, as well as vehicle defects such as worn-out tyres and faulty lights.
IOL