2015-04-02Staff Report 2 WINDHOEK - Police have warned that they will crackdown on drunk driving and dangerous driving over the Easter weekend starting today. They have alerted motorists that they would also conduct a nationwide road safety campaign and do random breath tests to detect drunk drivers. They said they would engage in targeted drug tests and set up speed traps to ensure motorists comply with speed limits and reduce accidents. The special police operation starts today and lasts until next Tuesday when the majority of people return from the Easter weekend. The Deputy Chief of the City’s Traffic Management Unit, Adam Eiseb, informed a press briefing yesterday that they expect a busy weekend as thousands of road users will take to the roads to visit families and friends over the holidays. He said the City’s Traffic Management Unit wants a road carnage-free Easter and wants motorists to arrive alive. “It should not be too much to ask,” he said. City Police will join forces with the Namibian Police to adopt a zero-tolerance law enforcement approach on lawlessness and stop rogue motorists dead in their tracks and save families from grief, he added. The Easter road safety campaign targets all major causes of road deaths and injuries, including drinking and driving, speeding, fatigue and inattention and passengers and drivers not strapping their seatbelts. Last year, 53 motor vehicle accidents were recorded countrywide claiming three lives. Out of the 53 accidents, 17 were rollovers, 10 pedestrian-related accidents and five head-rear collisions were recorded. Twenty-seven of the vehicles involved in the crashes were pick-up vehicles while 24 were sedans and seven buses. Eiseb said crime and crash data would be used to target traffic zones across the City of Windhoek that are known for specific crimes of concern. “Speed is not just about driving over a signpost, it is also about adapting your driving to narrow winding roads or slowing down in wet weather,” he stated. He reiterated warnings that drivers taking their eyes off the road to read text massages could have fatal consequences. Eiseb said citizens would see increased visibility of law enforcement officers, as they will make themselves highly visible through roadblocks and vigilance to ensure an effective law enforcement campaign intended to reduce road collisions and crime. He warned all drivers and motorists with outstanding warrants of arrest to settle outstanding traffic fines before the start of the Easter weekend, as failure to do so could spoil their weekend. “The crackdown is aimed at executing a backlog of warrants and to ensure an incident-free long weekend,” stated Eiseb. Fresh concerns have also surfaced over some motorists fitting their vehicles with illegal lamps that do not comply with the specifications laid down in the Road Traffic and Transport Regulations. He said, “Police will render the cars mounted with such lights unfit to be used on a public road. Roof mounted lamps, off road lamps and light bars are illegal on public roads.” 2015-04-02Staff Report 2
