With holiday travel in full swing, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has urged vehicle owners to ensure their vehicles are roadworthy and that licence discs are renewed to avoid fines and prevent crashes. RTMC data from the previous season indicated that vehicle-related factors contributed to 6.9% of all fatal crashes nationwide. Of these incidents, 65.7% were caused by tyre bursts, while 11.4% resulted from faulty brakes.
RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane warned that driving with an expired licence disc is a punishable offence in South Africa and stressed that vehicle maintenance is critical to road safety.
“Far too many crashes occur because of vehicles that are not roadworthy,” Zwane said. “Defects such as brakes, smooth tyres, lights and wipers should be fixed as a matter of priority to prevent collisions.”
The RTMC called on motorists to take responsibility by servicing their vehicles, checking tyres and braking systems, and ensuring all legal requirements are met before embarking on long journeys.
Authorities added that improved vehicle maintenance could significantly reduce fatalities and make roads safer during the busy holiday period.
VOC News
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