Safely Home is the road safety programme of the Provincial Government of the Western Cape and is responsible for achieving Provincial Government of the Western Cape's Strategic Objective 3: Increasing access to safe and efficient transport. Safely Home covers several initiatives to achieve its goals which are: 1. don't speed, 2. don't drink and drive and 3. Don't use your cellphone when driving and 4. Do wear your seat belt.

A key objective of this administration is to reduce road fatalities by 50% by 2014, and the Safely Home road safety programme was initiated to achieve this. Since May 2009, Safely Home has seen the provincial government and the City of Cape Town join hands to increase awareness of road safety issues, drive enforcement and increase the visibility of policing. September is a transport month and it is perhaps an apt time to reflect on what has been achieved.

The Road Traffic Management Corporation has released their annual report for 2009/2010. The national road fatalities have increased by 1.6%, whilst in the Western Cape they have declined by 11.9%. A significant decrease in pedestrian deaths of 20.96% contributed strongly. Fatalities in bus and taxi accidents are also down. The Western Cape`s 1579000 vehicles constitute 16% of the total national vehicle population, but provincial road deaths constitute only 9.3% 0f total fatalities. The Western Cape is also well below the national road deaths per 10000 vehicles:  7.7 in the province compared to 12.9 for the country as a whole. Gauteng has an even lower ratio of 6.9.

The safety of all South Africans whether a driver, passenger, pedestrian-old or young, is of vital concern. It is the responsibility of every individual to protect and respect the life and dignity of another. It is therefore necessary to be aware of the dangers of alcohol consumption, drug abuse and road rage, all of which endanger our own lives, the lives of our loved ones and the lives of innocent South African citizens

This campaign was endorsed by faith communities encouraging traffic authorities to react as vigorously as possible and call upon all people to co-operate when encountering road blocks, to adhere to traffic regulations and drive with courtesy and consideration at all times. The wearing of seat belts and the checking of vehicles for road worthiness must be the norm.

Those who keep on violating the rules and the laws of the road will not get away with it. The Department of Community Safety will continue having these operations in order to make our Provinces roads safer.

Sources:

• safelyhome
• sadelivery

Page Created: 15 September 2011.