South Africa to step up road safety during Easter
March 19, 2012
Officials in South African are gearing up for Easter by launching the 2012 Easter Arrive Alive Road Safety Campaign. Car accidents take more than 1,000 lives each month, according to the South African Government Communication and Information System, and the rate of car crashes increases dramatically around Easter.
"As a buildup towards Easter, the Law Enforcement Technical Committee (LETCOM) has undertaken to conduct as many high-visibility, high-impact enforcement roadblocks with a view to cleanse our roads of bad elements before the critical Easter weekend," said transportation minister S'busiso Ndebele. "This Easter period we have mapped the routes, sharpened our strategies and oiled our battle plan. I have issued an instruction that a special country-wide alcohol blitz be conducted before the Easter weekend, where every driver stopped must be tested for alcohol."
The increase emphasis on safe driving and stricter penalties for those who drive recklessly during the holiday will serve as a jumping off point for improving road safety all year long.
Those who want to find out more about the steps being taken to improve road safety can make calls to South Africa with international phone cards to talk to their friends about what is being done.