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Vaarlpark - Another teenager fell victim to underage driving when the vehicle he was commanding overturned on the Paardeberg Road in the Vaalpark area, 82km south of Johannesburg.
Road Safety reports that on September 11, a 15-year-old boy was injured when the vehicle overturned. When paramedics arrived on the scene, the youngster was sitting on the sidewalk next to the vehicle. The red Ford EcoSport was laying on its roof.
After the ER24 paramedics assessed the boy's moderate injuries, he was transported to the Emfuleni Mediclinic for further treatment.
The boy lost control of the EcoSport, causing it to overturn.
News24 reports that authorities are investigating the incident.
Read the full article on Road Safety here.
A big concern
Johan Jonck from Arrive Alive says: It is of great concern that many unlicensed road users take to our roads and also why they feel so confident doing so! Is it perhaps that they do not fear a very real probability of being pulled over, or that they might get off too easily should they be pulled over? Effective visible enforcement and road blocks are the only way to address unlicensed drivers on our roads!
READ: Parent's worse nightmare - Pre-schoolers drive SUV to visit grandma
"We would like to see strong action taken to ensure that only legally licensed drivers and roadworthy vehicles share the roads with the rest of the motoring public. This includes effective visible traffic enforcement and rooting out corruption in traffic enforcement and licensing."
Why unlicensed/underage drivers pose a significant risk in traffic:
• Their inexperience and lack of mature judgment.
• Impairment results from alcohol and drug use, fatigue and distraction.
• Distraction as a cause of driving error is typical for novice drivers.
• Alcohol influences the young driver's performance to a larger extent.
• Predictable characteristics associated with young driver crashes, including excessive speed, carrying passengers, and not wearing seatbelts.
• Illicit drug use is on the increase in this age group.
• Members of this age group are also more often affected by loss of sleep, the task duration and the biological clock (driving during sleeping hours), with all these factors contributing to increased fatigue and increased risk.
• Most deaths involving unbelted vehicle occupants occur between midnight and 3am - also prime time for impaired driving.
• Teen passengers greatly increase the crash risk of teen drivers - an increase with each additional passenger.
• Young drivers tend to have lower belt use rates.
• Drinking and associated problems have also trickled down to 15- to 17-year-olds.
Read more on young drivers and road safety by clicking here.
