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Botswana: Police, DRTS Mount Easter Safety Campaigns
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The Voice (Francistown)
25 March 2008
Posted to the web 25 March 2008
Keonee Majoto
Gaborone
The Department of Road Transport and Safety (DRTS) in partnership with the police will stage road safety campaigns through-out the country over the Easter holidays in an effort to curb incidents.
Mr Marvin mmutle, Principal Traffic Safety Data Analyst at DRTS, said officers had already been dispatched to man roadblocks at Topisi, Capricorn, Sefhophe, Kang, Sehithwa and Nata, starting today.
He noted that this year's theme: 'Drive Safely-Think Tyre Safety' would focus on sensitising drivers on the importance of ensuring that the tyres of their vehicles were in good condition before embarking on a journey.
He explained that the theme was chosen following a realisation that there was a high number of tyre bursts, which he said could be attributed to failure by some drivers to check the condition of the tyres prior to starting their journeys.
Mr Mmutle decried the tendency of some drivers to disregard the instructions and advice of tyre manufacturers.
He added that some drivers often carry loads which were excessively heavy for their vehicles, a phenomenon which also contributed to the high rate of tyre bursts.
He called on drivers to desist from using worn-out tyres and to ensure that the wheels were well balanced and properly aligned with the correct pressure to reduce the rate of tyre bursts.
Mr Mmutle explained that drivers should also develop a habit of rotating their tyres.
"The front wheels carry a load which is heavier than that of the rear wheels and therefore it is crucial that they get rotated at regular intervals to ensure that they wear out evenly."
He explained that their road blocks were mounted on roads that had a high density of traffic.
These include A1 road which connected Ramatlabama to Ramokgwebana, the A2 road from Pioneer Border Gate to Mamuno, and the A3 road, which connected Francistown to Maun.
He said because of the high density of traffic, road accidents and traffic offences were prevalent on these roads.
Mr Mmutle, however, expressed displeasure at the decision by some drivers to travel at night and to drive at speeds which exceeded the stipulated speed limits.
He said drunken driving was also a major contributing factor to the rate of road accidents in the country.
Furthermore, Mr Mmutle appealed to drivers and members of the general public to cooperate with the campaign teams to ensure that the exercise becomes successful.
"Cooperation was good in the past years, therefore, we expect the same this year", Mr Mmutle said.
Assistant Superintendent Kevin Mookodi of Nata Police Station said the road safety campaign which was coordinated by DRTS will run from 6am to 6pm for the duration of the holidays.
He explained that the campaign will end at 6pm because the rate of traffic flow slows down in the evening.
ASP Mookodi called on drivers not to drive at night because of the high number of animals on the roads, particularly wildlife along the Nata-Maun road and the Nata-Kasane road.
He said the Nata-Kasane road in particular had many elephants. Hew said elephants were not easy to make out at night because of their colour and size.
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On other crimes prevalent in their policing area, Supt. Mookodi expressed worry at the high rate of assaults and fights which he said are fuelled by the drinking of illicit liquor which is being brewed in Nata and neighbouring villages. BOPA
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