The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has encouraged vehicle owners to use their end of year bonuses and payouts from savings clubs or stokvels to fix their vehicles and renew vehicle licences ahead of festive season travel.
“With the festive season fast approaching many people are finalising their travel plans. It’s important to ensure your vehicle is in good condition before hitting the road,” the RTMC said.
This includes fixing any defects that may have been overlooked during the year, such as replacing unroadworthy tyres and cracked windscreens, fixing brakes, fixing lights and replacing wipers.
“These are safety critical components especially for people who will be travelling during the rainy and wet conditions this summer. During the festive period last year, vehicle factors contributed 6.9% of total fatal crashes in the country, 65.7% of these was due to tyre bursts and 11.4% due to faulty brakes. Headlights that were not switched on (resulting in poor visibility of approaching vehicles) had a 9.5% contribution,” RTMC said.
Vehicle owners are further reminded to ensure validity of their vehicle licences and renew before embarking on their journeys.
RTMC records indicate that a total of 1 060 382 vehicle licences will be expiring at the end of November.
Most of these vehicles are in Gauteng, where a total of 416 828 will be due for renewal at the end of the month, followed by the Western Cape with 197 797 vehicle licences due for renewal and KwaZulu Natal with 143 293 renewals due.
Vehicle licence renewals due in other province are as follows: Mpumalanga 66 446, Eastern Cape 63 263, Limpopo 58 551, Free State 47 572, North West 44 871, and Northern Cape 21 763.
“Driving with an expired disc in South Africa incurs penalties that include late renewal fines of 10% of the annual fee for every month the disc is lapsed, potential fines of up to R1 000 if caught by law enforcement, and possible vehicle impoundment,” RTMC said. -SAnews.gov.za
