Alcohol blamed after head-on collision in Benoni kills five
Image: 123RF/Maksim Marchanka
On the day that South Africans were allowed to legally buy alcohol, five people were killed in an accident linked to drunk driving.
This is according to the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) in a statement issued on Wednesday.
“Five people were killed and one injured when two vehicles collided in Benoni last night [Tuesday]. Both drivers are suspected to have been under the influence of alcohol when one driver went into a curve at a speed not suitable for road conditions and collided head-on with another vehicle,” said RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane.
The organisation is calling on law enforcement authorities to step up drunken driving operations every night and make it difficult for drunk drivers to use public roads.
“Drunken driving operations should be prioritised during the night, weekends and throughout the year, as evidence shows that 55% of fatal crashes happen at night, about three out of five happen over the weekends and 70% happen during non-vacation periods,” said Zwane.
“Research indicates that the risk for crashes involving other road users, such as pedestrians and other motorists, increases significantly when a driver is drunk. Pedestrians are three times likely to die in a crash where a driver was intoxicated.”
Compared to speeding and other driver-related factors, intoxicated driving has been found to pose a greater risk for light motor vehicle and public transport vehicles than vehicles transporting goods, he added.
The RTMC in collaboration with the South African Police Service (Saps) and Ekurhuleni metro police are investigating the cause of the Benoni crash.