Provincial traffic authorities have stopped more than a 100 000 vehicles in the past eight years to check if drivers were tired and able to continue the journey. According to Western Cape provincial traffic chief, Kenny Africa, of these 16 023 drivers were forced to take a rest before being allowed to drive on. “Fatigue has been a major problem in the province, particularly on the N1,” he said. Africa told FTW that a fatigue management programme had been launched in 2011 for public transport vehicles including trucks. This had resulted in 146 719 vehicles being stopped for a driver fatigue inspection between 8pm and 6am on the N1 between Laingsburg, Beaufort West and Aberdeen. “If the driver is found to be tired he is immediately deemed unfit to drive and the vehicle is parked, forcing him to take a rest,” he said. The keys of the vehicle are only handed back to the driver once this rest period is over. He said in 2010 some 86 people had died on Western Cape roads in public transport vehicles. Just a year after the fatigue management programme was introduced, the figure dropped to 1. “We have seen an overall reduction in fatalities on our roads in the province thanks to this and other initiatives that are ongoing – all aimed at improving road safety.” Road fatalities decreased to 1241 in 2017 from 1705 in 2008. He describes fatigue as a “silent killer”. He said truck drivers often pushed themselves beyond the limit. “I receive a daily report on how many vehicles have been stopped and drivers prohibited from continuing until they have rested,” he said. “We cannot have people falling asleep behind the wheel. It is incredibly dangerous to drive while tired.”
INSERT: We have seen an overall reduction in fatalities on our roads in the province thanks to this and other initiatives that are ongoing. – Kenny Africa
