Dangerous good blitz steps up prosecutions

ALAN PEAT
THERE IS a blitz on dangerous goods road traffic offences in Kwa Zulu Natal (KZN) – with the traffic authority in the province slamming home 1 336 dangerous goods-related prosecutions in 2006. According to John Schnell, head of the Road Traffic Inspectorate, that was over 37% up on the 2005 total of 975 prosecutions. This might at first indicate that these offences are on the increase – which well they might be. “But,” said the inspectorate’s Colin Govender, “it is more likely to indicate our strong focus on this sort of road traffic offence. “It’s one of the critical offences which we target.” The problem, as Govender saw it, was the major potential impact of road accidents involving heavy goods vehicles carrying dangerous goods – either incompetently or illegally. Where there was spillage of toxic chemicals, for example, this not only put lives at risk, and cost a lot of effort to clear, but could also close a road for anything up to 24-hours. “We have to take these sort of dangers very seriously,” Govender added.