Cape Town – Drunk driving has resurfaced as a severe threat to road safety in the Western Cape, with 73 motorists arrested for driving under the influence from July 4 – 10.
The Western Cape Provincial Traffic Services conducted 214 roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints and speed control operations around the province, stopping and inspecting 29 660 vehicles.
Of the 98 arrests, 73 were for driving under the influence.
Advocate Johan Jonck, of Arrive Alive, believes that the re-emergence of drunk driving was linked to the opening of sports stadiums and other events venues.
“I believe that after the lockdowns and with the opening up of sports stadiums and venues, there is a desire to ‘break out’ – similar trends have been spotted elsewhere in the world – and along with this also often neglecting to buckle up.
“We need to continue to clamp down on these offences with increased visible enforcement from our traffic officers, and among the public a greater urgency to ensure that we have designated sober drivers – better planning ahead of a night out so we can increase the safe and sober travel of our motoring public,” said Jonck.
Ntomboxolo Makoba-Somdaka, spokesperson for Western Cape Transport MEC Daylin Mitchell, said accidents had a huge socio-economic impact, including on-scene expenses such as having police and traffic officials visit the site, which left them less time to respond to crime reports.
“Crashes have tremendous socio-economic impacts. Crash victims may be disabled, lose income or lose jobs. Losing a breadwinner could mean living in poverty. Losing a loved one could mean psychological trauma and disruption to family life.
“When police and traffic law enforcement officers have to attend to crashes caused by drinking and driving or drinking and walking, they have less time to attend to crime and keep the roads safe. When police and traffic law enforcement officials are tied up in court with cases involving driving under the influence of alcohol, they have less time to keep the public safe. Cases of driving under the influence also slow down the criminal justice system.
“Never drink and drive. Never drink and walk near a road. Alcohol and roads don’t mix. If you have been drinking, make other arrangements to get home. If you are stopped by a traffic law enforcement officer and the officer suspects that you are over the legal limit, you will be arrested on the spot,” said Somdaka.