The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has urged car owners to use their hard-earned year-end bonuses and stokvel payouts, to fix their vehicles and renew licenses ahead of the festive season travel. It believes this will contribute towards increasing road safety during this period.
“This includes fixing any defects that may have been overlooked during the year, such as replacing unroadworthy tyres and cracked windscreens, fixing brakes, fixing lights and replacing wipers,” read a statement from RTMC.
The Corporation emphasized that these repairs will be crucial especially during the rainy weather conditions this summer. According to data shared by RTMC, about 6.9% of road crashes were caused by vehicle factors such as tyre bursts and faulty brakes, among others. The RTMC further reminded motorists to ensure the validity of their licenses.
“RTMC records indicate that a total of 1 060 382 vehicle licenses will be expiring at the end of November. Most of these vehicles are in Gauteng where a total of 416 828 will be due for renewal at the end of the month, followed by the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Renewals in other provinces such as the North West are sitting at 44 871,” explained the RTMC.
Failure to renew licenses and license disks will result in fines up to R1 000 or vehicle impoundment. As part of efforts to ensure road safety, the RTMC will in conjunction with the Department of Transport, kickstart this year’s festive season campaign on Sunday 30 November. The campaign will focus on combating drinking and driving, jaywalking, and speeding, among others.
