MINISTER ROBIN CARLISLE - ROADS DEATHS DECREASE BEYOND HALFWAY MARK
Robin Carlisle, the Minister of Transport and Public Works in the Western Cape has announced that ‘for the first time in more than five years the February Western Cape road death toll has dropped to under 100.
'Road fatalities in February 2012 fell from 129 last year, to 99, a decrease of 23.2%,' Minister Carlisle said.
'Overall the 12-month fatality figures have now fallen from 1772 as at the 1st of January 2009, to 1289 at the end of February 2012.
'This is a decrease of 25.9%, which means that the Safely Home campaign has now passed the halfway mark towards its target of halving the death rate by the end of 2014,' said Minister Carlisle.
'I would like to acknowledge the increasing number of motorists who are driving responsibly and doing their bit to get everyone safely home.
'Without their support, Government's actions would not have had the same affect. This partnership between Government and responsible citizens is a wonderful example of Better Together.'
'As I have painfully learned over the last years, the trends can change in a single day. While 99 deaths is an improvement on the previous year, the numbers of people dying on our roads is still far too high.
'That being said, there has been a solid achievement by the Safely Home team over a long period, and they are all to be congratulated, as are the fine men and women in the traffic departments and in the police, who are out there saving lives 24/7.' Minister Carlisle said.
'There are too few of them, but they have made a difference for which they can be truly proud.'
Statement issued by Robin Carlisle, Minister of Transport and Public Works in the Western Cape, March 8 2012
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