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Western Cape pay-day weekend horror - 24 killed on roads

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<b>PAY-DAY WEEKEND BLUES:</b> The Western Cape urges all road users to drive safely especially over pay-day weekends. What will happen over the Easter holiday period from April 3? <i>Image: SAPA</i>
<b>PAY-DAY WEEKEND BLUES:</b> The Western Cape urges all road users to drive safely especially over pay-day weekends. What will happen over the Easter holiday period from April 3? <i>Image: SAPA</i>
Sapa

The Western Cape's Safely Home road safety campaign reported that 26 alcohol-blitz roadblocks were setup from  March 27 and 28 and a total of 3091 vehicles were checked.

Despite this, 24 people including seven pedestrians, died on the province’s roads.

The Western Cape department of transport reports that highest breath-alcohol recorded was 1.04mg/1000ml, five times the legal limit of 0.24mg/1000ml, in Somerset West.

SPEEDERS APLENTY

The department reports that a total of 1774 vehicles were screened for speeding and 224 speeding offences were reported. Officers handed 280 traffic fines amounting to R343 200.

Highest speeds recorded:

159km/h in a 120km/h zone, N1 in Brackenfell.
113km/h in a 100km/h zone, N1 in Beaufort West.
120km/h in an 80km/h zone, N2 in the Knysna Service area.
Other arrests: None

'SAD REFLECTION OF OUR DRIVING'

Arrive Alive editor Johan Jonck comments: "This was yet another so called 'pay-day weekend' and a sad reflection of driving behaviour on our roads! Amongst the fatalities are 10 passengers – and again questions whether we are adhering to the call to have everyone buckled up.

"Knowing that our roads are so dangerous with such high levels of recklessness and lawlessness we will plead with road users to focus on defensive driving and road behaviour!"

VIDEO: Johan Jonck speaks on road deaths in SA

24 fatalities reported:

Cape Metropole:

Gordon’s Bay – one driver and one motorcyclist
Observatory – one pedestrian
Sea Point – one pedestrian
Mfuleni – two drivers + four passengers and one pedestrian
Lansdowne – one driver
Goodwood – one pedestrian

Cape Winelands/Overberg:

De Doorns – one pedestrian
Wolseley – one driver and three passengers
Goudini – one pedestrian

West Coast:

Citrusdal – two passengers
Hopefield  – one pedestrian + one passenger
Saldanha  –  one driver

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