2 NOVEMBER 1998
A month ago, I launched a four-month bench-marking project which involves intensifying speed enforcement in KwaZulu-Natal. This campaign, co-ordinated by the Asiphephe (Let us be Safe) Project, involves increasing the number of speed timing exercises and o perations by at least 10 times from October this year to January 1999, with over 550 camera sessions during this period.
The special Speed Camera Office here at Pinetown has been established to co-ordinate this operation. This office has been fully-equipped to ensure the effective operation of the project. The TRAFMAN processing system, which works in co-ordination with the National Traffic Information System (NaTIS), is being tested in KwaZulu-Natal during this operation. The TRAFMAN system processes violations and is also able to produce maps for planning enforcement operations. The office is also equipped with 20 compute rs and a server as well as a photovex machine on which you are able to read number plates. We also have a telephone unit to contact offenders warning them to pay their fines.
Already, over 20 000 camera prosecutions are being processed and the culprits have begun receiving notices in the post. Speeding has become so common and a prevalent part of driving patterns of drivers in this country that it is generally condoned and peop le don't realise that it is a crime. However, all crimes are unacceptable and all perpetrators of all crimes must be punished.
In a recent Markinor survey, contracted by the Asiphephe Project, some interesting driver attitudes were revealed. Only 10% of drivers across the spectrum felt that speeding was a major cause of road crashes. This directly contradicts actual statistics whi ch puts speeding as the major contributor to crashes and the severity of collisions in South Africa. But to illustrate the effectiveness of our advertising material, 82% of respondents who were exposed to the Arrive Alive Easter campaign advertisement (whe re a mother mourns the death of her son who was killed by a speeding driver) strongly agreed that speed was a dangerous factor.
In a related research project, taxi passengers felt unable to influence the behaviour of their drivers. Taxi drivers themselves seemed unsure of speed limits on the various categories of roads and interpreted "speeding" as driving in excess of 140km/h rath er than not obeying the speed limit.
Most drivers felt that their driving had improved over the past year, and that there was further room for improvement and change in their driving behaviour. These findings are encouraging as they predict a possible change in attitude as a result of the co- ordinated effort of the Asiphephe project.
During October, staff have worked a total of 661 hours on this project but during this period, we also experienced a few hitches in operation. Some spools have been spoiled due to incorrect operation and there were delays in obtaining and installing some o f the speed timing equipment.
However, the project evaluation team, which includes Her Worship the Mayor of the South Central region, Ms Theresa Mthembu, Dr K S Naidoo who is a member of the Road Safety Board, Mr Theirry Kessellaar a computer specialist, officers of the Durban City Po lice and Road Traffic Inspectorate, our consultant from the Victoria Police Mr Des Myers and members of the Asiphephe project team, are currently dealing with these problems.
We have also found that that some cars have no number plates and our officers will be holding roadblocks at the toll plazas to apprehend these offenders.
Although the major focus of this campaign is in the Durban Metro, which has the largest concentration of vehicles in the province, we estimate that more than 300 000 camera violations will be produced by the end of January. This means that approximately o ne-third of the vehicles in KwaZulu-Natal would have been photographed by speed cameras.
Scandinavian studies show that driver behaviour actually changes when enforcement increases at least three-fold. With our substantial increase in enforcement and with more severe penalties, we are convinced that we will make a further impact on driver atti tudes and behaviour.
This project is supported by an emotive TV and radio advertising campaign and more than 80 billboards will be put up at strategic points. All of these drive home the message that "Speed Kills". More promotions will take place towards the festive season to re-emphasise our central decree of "Zero Tolerance to road offenders in KwaZulu-Natal".
We believe that this particular campaign targeting speed, intense and hard-hitting as it is, will help to give impetus to current changes in mindset but also clobber those intrepid drivers who think they are Kamikaze pilots.
Through this project, we in the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport are determined to change driver behaviour in this province and to remain in the forefront of the crusade to reduce road crashes, fatalities and serious injuries.
Thank You.