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WCape shock tactics: MEC Grant responds

CAPE TOWN, Western Cape - The Western Cape's 'Safely Home' road safety campaign has launched several eye-opening methods of curbing bad road behaviour in the province, among them a grim child pedestrian deaths map and CCTV footage of children being hit by vehicles.

On October 22 2014 Wheels24 reported that the province’s transport and public works department had released a shocking video revealing the horror of children being killed on our roads.

CRASH WITNESS VIDEOS

The video, the fifth instalment of its Crash Witness video series, shows CCTV footage of pedestrians walking into traffic and being hit by vehicles.

Western Cape transport and public works MEC Donald Grant spoke to Wheels24 about the province’s shock tactics.

‘SHOCK-AND-AWE’

Since 2011 the Safely Home campaign has launched a series of videos showing crashes and road incidents in the province. The aim of the campaign was to highlight the dangers of reckless driving by showing CCTV footage of real collisions.

W24: What is the Crash Witness campaign? What is the aim of showing graphic crash video?

Grant: “If your viewers really want to frighten themselves they can go on to the site. There’s graphic video from CCTV cameras showing the effect of speeding and far too many people walking illegally on our roads, people decapitated when hit at speed on a freeway.

"It’s a shock-and-awe tactic to try to change behaviour. What we’re really trying to do is change the behaviour of our drivers to make sure they’re far more responsible.”

Latest Crash Witness video: Click on the gif below to view the clip (Warning: Graphic footage)



W24: What about pedestrians illegally walking on our roads?

Grant reports that Sanral's latest data reveals the serious problem of pedestrians using the province’s roads illegally - though some report they would rather risk their life crossing a busy road than using a pedestrian bridge due to crime.

Grant: “Sanral tracked 2700 people, counted on camera, walking on our roads, on freeways between from Monday to Friday (October 2014). It’s completely illegal to walk on a freeway.

“Interviewing some of the pedestrians revealed they did not like to use a pedestrian bridge due to gangsters who might rob them. We need to communicate that the bridges have cameras. We can’t have people walking on freeways because they feel safer.

"In fact they are in grave danger.”

Why show children being run down on the province’s roads?

Grant: "We simply cannot ignore the very serious message conveyed by this video. Turning a blind eye to the dangers faced by our children as a result of reckless and irresponsible road use will invariably mean that more and more children will die on our roads.

VIDEO: Grant speaks on WCape Crash Witness videos

Crash Witness video: Click on the gif below to view the clip (Warning: Graphic footage)

CHILD FATALITIES MAP

In October 2014 the Safely Home campaign released an interactive map showing child pedestrians killed in 2014.

The map shows child pedestrian fatalities (10 years or younger) in the Western Cape from January 1 to September 15 2014. It allows viewers to click on markers for details such as a gender, age and date.

W24: Why the need for a child pedestrian road fatality map?

Grant: “We wanted to obtain quality data to determine the root causes. We wanted the time and location of every child death and those injured to better map out high-risk areas and focus on ways to prevent deaths.”

Video: Donald Grant speaks on the Western Cape child pedestrian fatality map

SPEED-OVER-DISTANCE CAMERAS

On October 13, Wheels24 reported on the City of Cape Town installing average speed-over-distance cameras on Nelson Mandela Boulevard.

Grant reports that the cameras will be effective in reducing speeding and reckless drivers.

The cameras will monitor all lanes of the dual carriageway in each direction from the bottom of Nelson Mandela Boulevard to the N2 and M3. There are three sets of cameras: the first is on the footbridge over Nelson Mandela Boulevard adjacent to District Six; the second is on the Main Road bridge over Settlers Way; the third is on the footbridge at Mostert’s Mill on the M3.

Video: Donald Grant speaks on speed-over-distance cameras

What do you think of the Western Cape's shock tactics for road safety? Do you think it will be effective in curbing poor road behaviour? Email usand we'll publish your thoughts on Wheels24.

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