HUNDREDS ARRESTED OVER THE EASTER HOLIDAY PERIOD…

PRETORIA: More than 500 motorists arrested on the roads since the start of the Easter holidays for drunken driving, speeding and other offences.

Preliminary statistics reported to the Road Traffic Management Corporation by provincial authorities indicate that 549 motorists haven arrested so far with 312 of them caught for driving under the influence of alcohol.

The highest speed recorded was on the N14 in Gauteng where a motorist was detained for travelling at 196 km an hour.

Traffic authorities are now gearing themselves upon for another upsurge in traffic volumes when travellers return from different places of pilgrimage and holiday spots on Monday.

The roads were extremely busy on Thursday and Friday when motorist set on their long distance trips.

A total of 92 629 vehicles were recorded as having passed the tollgates on the N3 between Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal on Thursday. A total of 51 647 were recorded on the N1 between Gauteng and Limpopo on the same day.

Authorities staged 79 roadblocks on different routes and issued more than 65 000 traffic fines. Most fines were for speeding, driving without licences, driving unlicensed vehicles, failure to wear safety belts and driving un-roadworthy vehicles.

The RTMC is again urging motorists to plan their return trips carefully with regular stops along the way to avoid fatigue.

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