Noodnommer: Rapporteer onrus

WES-KAAP NUUS – Die Wes-Kaapse regering het ‘n noodnommer geloods vir persone om onrus in die provinsie te rapporteer.

Die inisiatief kom van die Premier van die Wes-Kaap, me. Helen Zille se kantoor.

Die doel is om insidente en planne van onrus, asook geweld in die provinsie aan te meld om sodoende die veiligheid van alle inwoners van die provinsie te verseker - dis veral gemik op motoriste wat van die hoofroetes in die provinsie gebruik maak.

Motoriste word aangemoedig om die nommer te skakel om vas te stel watter roetes veilig is om te gebruik.

Die nommer is: 0860 142 142.

- George Herald

Images: N3 Traffic Back-Up: Estcourt / Mooi River

Image: Backlog between Estcourt and Mooirivier - Yusuf Yacoob Vahed (Click on image for larger view.)

Al Imdaad Foundation - 100s of vehicles stranded on the N3 recieved Emergency food packs - Yusuf Yacoob Vahed (Click on image for larger view.

Packing the car: Safety First!

Whether you're taking a short trip to the seaside for the long weekend, simply going from the airport to the hotel or are about to set off on a holiday, getting the car packed the right way is paramount to your safety on the road. Setting off with the entire family and a lot of baggage implies certain risks, not only for those in the car, but also for other road users.

Goodyear advises motorists to follow a few simple rules to ensure the car is packed securely and doesn't endanger your family or other road users.

Safety first!
Passenger safety and comfort comes above all else. Don't risk carrying passengers unrestrained due to large or awkward items that are in the way. Install child seats first before loading the car, as it may prove difficult to do so once the car is fully loaded.

"Last in, first out"
This saying provides a handy hint to packing that ensures you keep the items you may need during the journey close at hand and easy to retrieve. Be mindful of "must haves". Take enough food, drinks, nappies, medicine, and entertainment for your kids and other essential items to last you until your reach your destination.

Make sure everything is secure
A few simple rules can make all the difference:

Keep the area around the driver's feet clear. Loose items rolling around are distracting and potentially dangerous if they get caught under the driver's feet or the pedals - particularly in emergency braking situations.

Always pack large, heavier items at the bottom of the boot to ensure the centre of gravity stays as low as possible. Storing heavy items as far forward as possible and packing these tightly against the back of the boot ensures a better weight distribution. Avoid using the inside of the passenger area of the car for storing your luggage. Items can fly forward unexpectedly, injuring passengers.

"Tests of leading automotive clubs have illustrated how dangerous a simple glass bottle or kid's toy can become during an emergency braking situation," reminds Lize Hayward, Goodyear Group Public Relations Manager. "An item that seems to be light at first sight, accelerates enormously in the event of emergency braking - even at relatively low speeds, hitting front passengers with a multiple of its actual weight", says Hayward.

Make sure you can see
If you own a station wagon, avoid packing above the line of the back seats. Not only does this significantly hamper your view, it also heightens the possibility of items flying forward in case of an emergency braking manoeuvre. Consider using a roof rack or trailer if the car's boot is fully loaded. If you have to use the full height of your station wagon's boot, make sure you use a net or other built-in protection to avoid having items flying forward.

Plan for a puncture
If the car is not equipped with a special safety device and tyres, such as Goodyear's RunOnFlat tyres, consider the possibility of a puncture when packing the car. It's annoying and dangerous having to empty the entire boot of the car next to a busy road to get to the spare tyre.

If there is a puncture, take care of safety first. Get everyone in a safe place before taking care of the puncture or calling for help.

"RunOnFlat tyres are an enormous benefit to avoid such a situation," recommends Goodyear's Hayward. "Thanks to the RunOnFlat technology, drivers no longer have to make that dangerous stop at the side of the road to change a tyre. RunOnFlat tyres allow drivers to keep on driving after a puncture or total loss of tyre pressure, providing ample time to get home or to a nearby tyre dealership within a distance of 80km at a maximum speed of 80km/h - even on a fully deflated tyre."

Pack safely on the roof
Packing items on the roof requires a few extra considerations: extra height, extra weight and extra resistance.
Roof loads increase the drag on the car. The airflow will try to lift the front of a load. In the event of emergency braking, the load will tend to slide forward. Ideally, all items on the roof should only be stored in a securely attached roof box - respecting the weight restrictions of the car.

Travelling with pets
Pets should never be allowed to move freely through a moving car. Not only could the animal get hurt in case of an unexpected manoeuvre or an emergency braking situation, but the other passengers may also get hurt. Always secure pets using a safety harness or transport them in well-ventilated crates.

Driving with a fully loaded vehicle impacts on its manoeuvrability and takes getting used to. In addition, travelling with the entire family and loads of baggage means that you have more distractions, less visibility and a fully loaded vehicle that will require a longer stopping distance.

- Knysna/Plett Herald

Easter Weekend 2012

Summary

The joint Easter 2012 venture between ER24 and the RTMC with Discovery as the major sponsor kicked off on Thursday the 5th of April.

The R44 lifted off from Lanseria Airport at around 12am with two ETV crew on board, airborne to Polokwane Civil Airport in Limpopo. In the meantime, the ER24 Discovery Medicopter had been Ladysmith bound at around 10am the same morning from Durban’s Virginia airport and was landing around the same time that the R44 was taking off.

With the Traffic Departments in both Polokwane and Ladysmith being 100% behind the initiative for traffic monitoring, and providing every possible service to the pilot and crews that they could, the days ahead were discussed and planned.

Thursday would be the first day of flights around both areas, along major traffic routes, the N1 in Limpopo and the N3 between Ladysmith and Harrismith respectively.

Continued flights in each area would then take place on Friday the 6th and then again on Monday the 9th of April.

Polokwane bound R44

The R44, silver and red, branded ER24 and Discovery booked airborne to Polokwane Civil Airport shortly after 12am.

The teams from Ford and Suzuki, sponsors of RTMC Ground Patrol Units, met at Lanseria airport and photos were taken with the R44 and ER24 Discovery Medicopter for publication in their respective magazines. The articles would relate to Easter Weekend traffic and incidents as reported by the RTMC.

The R44 landed at the Polokwane Civil Airport shortly before 2pm and the pilot from Halo Aviation met with the relevant role-players in order to discuss the days flying and the expectations for the following two days of flying.

The R44 conducted numerous flights over the N1 highway; over major toll routes and towards Moria to determine the extent of traffic over the Zion Christian Church Easter Weekend gathering in the area.

The MEC of Road and Transport for the Limpopo Province took two trips with the Charter Helicopter, while other traffic officials also had their chance to view the roads from the air.

Despite the winds picking up slightly towards Monday afternoon, everything went extremely well and the venture was a great success with the Traffic Officials having only good things to say about their experiences.

Ladysmith bound ER24 Discovery Medicopter Chopper 3 – Derrick Banks

On Thursday the 5th April the ER24 Discovery Medicopter Chopper 3 was airborne from Durban and was flying to Ladysmith for the start of the Easter weekend. This year marks the second year of this joint initiative between ER24 and the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) with Discovery as a partner with sponsorship of the helicopters.

The ER24 Discovery Medicopter Chopper 3 landed at Ladysmith RTI grounds were the pilot was welcomed by Mr. Dave Steel, who is the Chief Provincial Inspector for that area. After the debrief both pilot and Mr. Steel were airborne so the pilot could see where the helicopter could land at Tugela Plaza and then they patrolled up the N3. After landing at the Tugela Plaza, a few motorists had stopped and wanted their children to have a look at the helicopter. This was a great opportunity as this gave the drivers time to have a break from driving before carrying on their holiday. Just before 3pm the Medicopter took off from Tugela Plaza and returned back to the RTI offices to end the day off.

The ER24 Discovery Medicopter Ground Support Unit left Durban just before 6am on Friday the 6th to meet with the Medicopter at the Tugela Plaza. The roads were slightly quiet as only 700 to 900 cars were going through the Tugela Plaza heading towards Durban, while over 1000 motorist were heading back towards Johannesburg. As motorists drove pass they either waved or hooted. This was surely to say thank you for looking after them. The ER24 Discovery Medicopter took off to monitor the traffic on the Van Reenen’s Pass where they were able to contact the local authorities informing them of some broken down trucks on the south side and a broken down bus near the top. These problems were rectified rather quickly and did not cause any traffic problems. The day ended with no accident reported in the area.

The last day of flights on Monday the 9th, was conducted at the Tugela Plaza where large amounts of holiday makers were expected to be passing, to be heading home as it was the start of school for most provinces the following day. With the changing winds near to the Tugela Plaza and going up the Van Reenen’s Pass, flying was going to be a great challenge for the pilot. By 1pm over 2400 motorist were going through the Tugela Plaza heading north. There was a report of an accident on the Pass but it was a minor incident where it was slight bumper bashing that had taken place. The ER24 Discovery Medicopter team then had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Ashref Ismail from RTMC. He was taken for a flight so he could see the traffic volumes leaving and approaching the Tugela Plaza.

Ladysmith bound ER24 Discovery Medicopter Chopper 3 – Zayin Vermaak

My Easter weekend was one that will be fondly remembered; A new experience for me in getting to be a small part of a national effort to make our roads a safer place over the Easter period.

Based in Ladysmith and operating from the Tugela Toll Plaza, we were a team of organizations all well prepared and ready to provide a safe passage for the mad rush of motorists to and from their holiday destinations.

Being the pilot of the Discovery ER 24 Medicopter I was the eyes that assisted from above. Being able to monitor and respond from the air, especially over the treacherous Van Reenen’s Pass area, and also being able to cover a large tract of road in a short space of time definitely aided in minimizing any delay to problems on the road.

With a ground crew consisting of the KZN Traffic Department having vehicles dotted every few kilometers, ambulance and paramedic services including ER24 based at the Tugela Plaza and ready to respond at a moment’s notice to any motor vehicle accident. Also roadside assistance for vehicles with mechanical problems was provided by BMW and me in the air, in the Discovery ER24 Medicopter. We were a well-organized team.

Being prepared for what was coming made life a lot easier when the traffic count started tipping the scale at over 2600 cars per hour through the Tugela Plaza and over the Van Reenen’s Pass. Attending to any problem that would hinder the flow of traffic, be it a flat tire or an accident, we managed to keep a safe and free flowing movement of traffic throughout the weekend.

Motorists need to know that there are many of us out there that care about their safety, and also few people that have the thankless job of looking after the safety of many.

In Conclusion

All parties involved on the days of the flights were entirely satisfied at the days’ events.

Not only was it a pleasure to work with such dedicated and professional individuals from all sectors involved, it was great to be able to observe traffic on these major routes from the air, providing important information as to the number of vehicles utilizing these routes and getting a bird’s eye view of any major problems so as to be able to report them where necessary and timeously.

Thanks go to everyone involved in the organization and for taking part as necessary on the days of conducting flights.

A special thanks to Mr. Dave Steele and his team at the Ladysmith RTI base for all the effort he put in to organize fuel for the event and for being so accommodating to all the needs according to what was required for the success of the initiative.

Also a special mention of thanks to Mr. Gordon Horn and his team from Limpopo Traffic for all his assistance with the Polokwane bound Charter Helicopter.

- ER24

Easter death toll at 157

At least 157 people were killed on South African roads over the Easter weekend, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) said on Tuesday.

According to the corporation’s preliminary figures, some of the biggest problems were speeding, dangerous overtaking, fatigue and tyre failure.

The RTMC's Ashref Ismail said officials were still gathering information from various police stations across the country.

“We must indicate that these are preliminary figures. The final picture will emerge at the end of this week.”

Meanwhile, the Western Cape government failed to meet its target of zero death toll.

At least 13 people were killed on the province’s roads.

In one of the crashes, a German national crashed with a mini bus taxi in Beaufort West after driving on the wrong side of the road.

He died instantly.

Traffic authorities were out in full force on all the country’s highways in a bid to keep the 2012 Easter death toll figure down.

At least 203 people were killed on the roads during the 2011 Easter period.

In 2010, the Automobile Association (AA) warned that South African roads were fast becoming known as the most dangerous in the world.

The organisation blamed poor law enforcement, blatant disregard for the law and the shockingly inept systems that are currently in place when it comes to prosecuting road offenders.

- EWN

Traffic volumes to peak

Traffic on the country's major highways will peak in the next few hours as thousands of holidaymakers return home from their Easter holiday destinations.

Authorities are closely monitoring the N1 south from Polokwane to Pretoria, the N4 from Nelspruit to Pretoria, the N1 north between the Western Cape and Mangaung and the N3 north from Durban.

The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) spokesperson Ashref Ismail said, “We’re currently located on the N3. We are expecting traffic volumes to peak at around 2pm - 3pm. We’re expecting over 2,000 vehicles at the various toll plazas.”

Preliminary figures show that at least 109 people have died on South African roads this Easter weekend.

It appears the final number of fatalities could be lower than 2011, when 297 people died on the roads over the Easter holidays.

Meanwhile, Gauteng traffic officials said motorists must expect no mercy on Monday as there will be roadblocks at all major routes leading into the province.

In Tshwane, traffic flow from Limpopo has been steadily increasing, as Zimbabweans and members of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) make their way back.

Tshwane’s Console Tleane said, “By 11am, we were having 2,257 vehicles entering Tshwane through the N1.”

In the Western Cape, the province has failed to achieve its zero death target this Easter.

Eight people were killed on the province’s roads this weekend.

- EWN

109 killed on SA roads

At least 109 people have died on South Africa’s roads since the start of the Easter weekend.

Thousands of people started making their way home from their holiday destinations on Sunday afternoon and traffic is expected to peak on the country's major highways just after lunchtime on Monday.

Traffic authorities say they will be closely monitoring the N1 south from Polokwane to Pretoria, as members of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) and Zimbabweans make their way home.

The N3 north from Durban to Gauteng, the N4 from Nelspruit to Pretoria and the N1 north between the Western Cape and Mangaung are also expected to experience heavy traffic.

The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) spokesperson Ashraf Ismail says while preliminary figures show road deaths are down compared to 2011, they are still very concerned.

“Rain is forecasted in various parts of the country and we are extremely worried about it. Traffic officials are on high alert.”

At least 203 people lost their lives on the country’s roads in 2011.

Meanwhile, the Department Home Affairs says it has increased the number of staff manning the border post and extended its working hours.

Almost 60,000 people left the country during the Easter period.

- EWN

56 die on SA roads

The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) on Sunday said at least 56 people were killed on the country's roads, since the start of the Easter weekend.

In the last 24 hours, six people died in a head-on collision in the Nebo area in Limpopo, while another five were killed in a head on collision on the N3 in Durban.

In the Western Cape, two people died when a car and two bakkies collided in Eersterivier, just outside Cape Town.

This brings the death toll on the province's roads this Easter weekend to four.

The province has failed to achieve its target of zero deaths this Easter.

However, the RTMC's Ashref Ismail says drivers appear to have been obeying the rules of the road.

“We’d like to appeal to all road users to continue with their good behaviour and their cooperation during this period.”

Traffic officials have warned that those who disobey road rules will face the consequences.

In a separate incident, a bike was jailed for driving at 209km/h in Johannesburg.

The biker will spend his Easter weekend behind bars.

In 2011, 203 people lost their lives on the country’s roads over the Easter weekend.

- EWN

Avoid travelling at night, say traffic authorities

Road traffic authorities yesterday urged motorists to avoid travelling at night on their return home from the Easter holidays.

The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) warned that poor visibility, stray animals, slow-moving trucks and speeding vehicles were likely to pose a danger for motorists travelling at night.

"It's best to return home - especially with long-distance travel - during the day," said RTMC senior manager Ashref Ismail.

Ismail said traffic authorities were also concerned that a high number of motorists were exceeding the speed limit on national and secondary roads.

The highest volumes of traffic recorded nationally were between Thursday night and Friday midday, when thousands of holidaymakers, church worshippers and migrant workers travelled to their various destinations.

Ismail said the most popular route was on the N1 between Pretoria and Polokwane, with 2400 vehicles recorded every hour.

"We had worshippers travelling this route for prayer services, migrant workers returning home to Zimbabwe and a sprinkling of holidaymakers."

Traffic authorities recorded 2200 vehicles an hour - mostly holidaymakers - on the N3 from Johannesburg to Durban.

The third busiest corridor for the Easter period was the N4 between Pretoria and Nelspruit, onward to Mozambique, with 1700 vehicles travelling through per hour.

Ismail said it was still too early to release accident figures for the long weekend, because the RTMC had to assess statistics from over 1000 police stations throughout the country.

Two major fatal accidents occurred - in Mariannhill outside Durban, and at Cullinan, near Pretoria.

In Mariannhill, the accident claimed the lives of four people and left two critically injured after their car collided head-on with another vehicle on Friday night. Among the dead is a two-year-old child, who was flung out of the car, with her mother.

Medics used the jaws of life to remove the dead and injured from the wreckage.

In the Cullinan crash, four people were killed on Friday after the driver of the vehicle lost control.

Ismail said the driver was allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol.

- Times Live