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Concerned about the spate of collisions involving heavy vehicles of late, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) strongly warned truck owners that they can be held liable for their negligent drivers.
The department also stated that Truck owners could lose the right to operate on national roads, having dire consequences for their businesses.
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The announcement follows a collision involving a truck crash on the R34 near Ulundi in KwaZulu-Natal. The crash allegedly transpired after a truck driver failed to stop at the scene of a prior incident.
“He collided with six other vehicles – four trucks, one SUV and one light delivery vehicle – at the scene causing them to explode into a ball of fire. Two people were injured,” the RMC said.
Capturing the stomach-clenching event on video and it going viral on social media, a public outcry ensued. However, this was not the only major incident of late. A truck crash in Pongola last week Friday claimed 20 lives.
Furthermore, the RTMC stressed that the National Traffic Act imposed a duty on truck operators to conduct their business “with due care to the safety of the public.”
“It further states that the operator of a vehicle shall exercise proper control over the driver of such a motor vehicle to ensure compliance by such a driver with all relevant provisions of this Act,” explained the RTMC.
Thus, the RTMC highlighted that failure by operators to properly carry out their responsibilities as imposed by the Act can lead to a conviction and sentence.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you feel truck drivers have become out of hand?
Share your views in the comment section below.
