Festive season: ER24 and Newcastle Municipality address drunk driving concerns

Festive season: ER24 and Newcastle Municipality address drunk driving concerns

As the holiday season draws closer, a time infamous for alcohol-related collisions and reckless driving, drinking and driving comes under the spotlight. This issue is especially pertinent when considering the severity of drinking and driving within the Newcastle area. Therefore, Newcastillian News spoke with various entities on the subject.

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According to crime statistics for the period from October 2023 to December 2023, Newcastle found itself among the top 10 areas across South Africa for driving under the influence of alcohol.

The situation was alarming, with the South African Police Service (SAPS) reporting that 140 motorists were arrested during this three-month span.

The figures clearly highlight the seriousness of driving under the influence, with Ziyaad Warasally from ER24 pointing out how paramedics have observed a rise in alcohol-related collisions in Newcastle during the festive season. “This is largely due to people going on leave; they have received their bonuses, and they tend to overindulge in alcoholic beverages, which results in not only drinking and driving but reckless driving as well.” He further emphasised that the influx of traffic through Newcastle during this time further exacerbates the matter.

Given this context, Warasally highlighted that ER24 and other paramedics begin their preparations ahead of time to manage the anticipated collisions. “We usually use the closure of schools and factories as red days, where we start ensuring our vehicles are ready and allocated to areas with significant traffic flow. This preparation is crucial to ensure that if an incident occurs, we can assist as quickly as possible,” noted Warasally.

Despite these careful plans, he warned that both drinking and driving, along with reckless driving, pose substantial risks during the holiday season.

Furthermore, he elaborated on the unpredictable weather conditions, stating, “The weather during the festive season is very unpredictable, with storms and occasional flooding. In 2023, there was an incident involving a family who was travelling along the N11 near Ladysmith; they veered off the road after attempting to drive through a small body of water. They were found a week later. Therefore, people should avoid driving under the influence of alcohol or attempting to take chances when crossing roads covered in water.”

Taking into account the adverse weather conditions, Warasally stressed that alcohol significantly impairs judgement, leading to potentially deadly consequences. “People are encouraged to avoid overindulging in alcohol, as they not only put their own lives at risk but also endanger the lives of other motorists.”

With 140 arrests made during the previous festive season, a crucial question arises: Are local traffic officers adequately prepared to take action against drunken drivers this upcoming holiday season? This question is particularly significant, considering SAPS statistics from April 2024 to June 2024, revealed that 130 individuals were arrested for driving under the influence.

This figure indicates that Newcastle has once again been ranked among the top areas in the country where drinking and driving is a pressing issue.

Reflecting on this matter, Mthandeni Myende, Spokesperson for Newcastle Municipality, shared that the Municipality’s traffic officers are amped and ready to tackle roadside fatalities due to drunken driving. “Newcastle’s Traffic Services have sufficient breath screening devices (alco-meters) to screen drivers. Moreover, unannounced operations are being conducted and will continue to detect offenders,” said Myende, who added that traffic officials will be working closely with police.

While the traffic officers have breath screening devices, Myende highlighted that, according to the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977, the responsibility for taking evidential prints, body fluids, and photographs lies with the South African Police Services. As such, the police are provided with the necessary blood kits stored under specific conditions at the SAPS. This means that if an individual is caught driving under the influence, traffic officers will immediately transport the motorist to the police station for blood tests, which could lead to the driver facing potential jail time within a matter of minutes.

When examining the hotspots in Newcastle for drinking and driving, Myende explained that this issue is unfortunately not limited to a specific area. He noted that residents often travel to consume alcohol in certain suburbs that are not close to their homes and then return home afterward.

This trend underscores the danger, as Myende agreed with Warasally that drinking under the influence jeopardises the lives of innocent motorists and places additional strain on emergency personnel.

While much focus has been directed towards motorists, Myende further said, “Drunken pedestrians also contribute to road accidents. With the recently amended bylaws, many people have been arrested for drinking in public and charged accordingly. Safety and security forces are working hard together to send a clear message to the public to curb these offences.”

In light of this situation, he added that Newcastle’s position among the top 30 areas with numerous drunken drivers arrested shows that traffic officials are diligently performing their duties and will continue to do so this upcoming holiday season to mitigate the potential loss of life in Newcastle.

As traffic officers plan a series of unannounced operations throughout the town, and while implementing the bylaws, this festive season holds the potential to significantly reduce the number of lives lost during the holidays.

What are your thoughts on the above? Share your views in the comment section below.

Comments 1

  1. Aswad says:

    Driving under the influence of alcohol is not effectively policed in Newcastle. Most of the drinking spot owners have captured some the SAPS officers responsible for policing this crime. Alcohol is offered to law enforcement officers who themselves socialise at the drinking spots and generous donations yo monthend and year end braais. I am not making unfounded claims.

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