THE national Department of Transport is hoping to reduce road deaths with new legislation that includes slower speed limits and an end to carrying children in an open bakkie.
Long queues and understaffed vehicle-licensing centres frustrate thousands of drivers in South Africa – but now the national Transport Department could anger drivers further by compelling them to take a practical test when renewing a driving licence.
Draft regulations intended to curb road carnage include slower speed limits, the banning of carrying children in a bakkie load bay and restricting the use of heavy vehicles.
In April, it was reported that national Minister of Transport Dipuo Peters had proposed restrictions on goods vehicles on public roads. Now it seems the minister is making good on her promise to restrict the use of commercial vehicles with a gross vehicle mass (GVM) exceeding 9 000kg.
The propose these changes to legislation:
• Drivers to be re-evaluated when renewing a licence.
• No more than five people to be carried in a bakkie load bed.
• Children not to be transported in a bakkie load bed.
• Speed limits to be reduced from 60km/h to 40km/h in urban areas, from 100km/h to 80km/h in rural areas and from 120km/h to 100km/h on freeways running through a residential area.
• Goods vehicles above 9 000kg GVM to be banned from public roads during peak travelling times.
Transport department spokesman Ishmael Mnisi said that the proposed legislation would have to be presented to his party’s cabinet, be discussed in Parliament and include public input.
He said the department hoped to implement the proposed regulations by the end of 2015.
Source: news24
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