By Alvine Kapitako
WINDHOEK – Namibian motorists were issued with traffic fines worth over N$4.2 million in December last year.
The fines are only for December, a part of which made up the annual festive season.
Fines of N$4.2 million were issued by the national traffic police alone and exclude traffic fines written by the City of Windhoek Traffic Department and the coastal metro traffic police.
The overall total would thus be much higher.
Nampol’s head of the Public Relations Division, Deputy Commissioner Edwin Kanguatjivi, said the fines issued by Nampol traffic cops amounted to N$4.2 million, of which N$1.64 million has already been paid by motorists.
The statistics show that 926 tickets were issued for speeding, 751 to people who did not have driving licences, 28 for vehicles being unroadworthy, 331 to people who did not wear safety belts, 289 for non-licensing of motor vehicles, 91 for using mobile phones while driving, and 37 for drinking and driving, amongst others.
In total, 1 429 alcohol tests were done and of these 37 were positive. Kanguatjivi said the statistics of traffic offences are an indication of drivers’ careless attitudes on the roads.
“I do not know how it was going to be if there were no police officers on the roads because these happened in the presence of officers despite the fact that the public were forewarned,” said Kanguatjivi.
Prior to the festive season there were vigorous campaigns urging the public to adhere to road safety, said Kanguatjivi. He also said that people were forewarned of what the consequences of not adhering to road safety would be.
“What can one conclude?,” queried Kanguatjivi, maintaining that the offences are an indication of a very careless attitude by Namibian drivers.