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New Alcohol Laws Might Not Reduce Road Carnage in South Africa

vuyi on November 19, 2020

Drinking and driving is a serious offense but the proposed laws changes to the law regarding drunk driving might cause more chaos than clarity for innocent motorists.

Proposed amendments to the National Road Traffic Act to reduce the legal blood alcohol limits for drivers to zero will criminalise innocent motorists, and is unlikely to have the results authorities think it will. This is the view of the Automobile Association (AA) in response to the National Road Traffic Amendments Bill, published at the end of October.

Included in the Bill is an amendment of Section 65 which effectively changes the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) limit for drivers from 0.05 grams per 100 millilitres to 0.00g/100ml, and the breath alcohol concentration from 0.24g/1000ml also to zero.

Someone who is using medication which contains alcohol will now be arrested, charged and possibly prosecuted for having a small dose of alcohol in their blood while their driving ability has not been impaired

“These proposed changes are concerning on a number of levels and although the stated reason for the change is the promotion of road safety, within the current framework of traffic law enforcement, nothing will change, except that innocent drivers are likely to be criminalised. For instance, someone who is using medication which contains alcohol will now be arrested, charged and possibly prosecuted for having a small dose of alcohol in their blood while their driving ability has not been impaired,” notes the AA.

The Association says the proposed amendment is again making motorists soft targets for traffic law enforcers, and that the desired outcomes of improved road safety will not be met.

“How will traffic law enforcement change to accommodate this proposed amendment? And, perhaps more importantly, how will a single piece of legislation change driver’s attitudes when nothing else around traffic law enforcement changes at the same time?

“Without proper and implementable actions, we don’t believe the amendments relating to the alcohol levels will have a material impact on our abysmal road fatality statistics,” said the AA

The Association says simply drafting legislation does not equate to meaningful road safety intervention and that other more important steps must be taken. These include a more intense, widespread and constant focus on national road safety education, an increase in the number of traffic law enforcement officers, and improved prosecution of current drunk driver cases.

Another important aspect of effective traffic policing is to ensure law enforcement is visible and active around known areas of drinking and driving, and that proper action is taken against offenders.

The Association notes, “We need to be in a situation where people are afraid to drive if they have been drinking, and we stand by our messaging of drink or drive. However, within this framework – and the interventions we have outlined – we believe a reduction of the BAC limit to 0.02g/100ml would be a more effective, just, and appropriate approach to drunk driving in the country”.

The AA says motorists who drink and drive must assume they will be arrested because there are many alternatives available to those who want to drink and still be mobile. But, it says, legally reducing the BAC to zero is not the answer.

“We cannot have a situation where authorities are amending legislation in the hope that this will change our shocking crash statistics. The average of 13000 deaths on our roads annually is a national crisis and amending this one piece of legislation is not going to make a difference unless those interventions we mention all the time are also implemented,” says the AA.

Drunk driving amendment misses the mark – AA

vuyi on August 27, 2020

The AA is proposing that the 0.05% limit be reduced to 0.02% which is in place in many countries.

Changing traffic laws relating to drink driving is meaningless and will be ineffective if current laws that regulate alcohol and driving are not properly implemented and enforced first. This is the view of the Automobile Association (AA) following the announcement tonight by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula on the proposed changes to the legal Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) limit for drivers to be reduced to zero percent.

The Association says drinking and driving can be more effectively combated by reducing the allowable alcohol limits for drivers, and that the courts should impose tougher sentences on offenders. The current enforcement of drunk drivers will not stop those who regularly exceed the limits because there are simply no consequences for their actions. The AA says a zero BAC limit is not going to change this behaviour.

Reducing the blood alcohol limit to zero will not solve the problem of road deaths in South Africa if it is not supported by a thorough, scientific diagnosis of the problem of drink driving…
– Automobile association

Although South Africa’s current Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) limit of 0.05% is not out of line with world standards, the crisis on South Africa’s roads demands a tougher approach. The AA is proposing that the 0.05% limit be reduced to 0.02% which is in place in many countries.

The AA notes that the proposed move to reduce the legal limit to zero does not take into consideration the fact that some medications such as cough syrups may contain alcohol. In these cases drivers may find themselves with criminal records for taking one dose of this medication when it will have no material effect on their driving ability.

“Reducing the blood alcohol limit to zero will not solve the problem of road deaths in South Africa if it is not supported by a thorough, scientific diagnosis of the problem of drink driving with proper statistics which back such a move. Behavioural change is needed to solve this problem and that requires proper enforcement of existing laws, and more intensive education of the dangers of drunk driving, both of which do not currently occur,” says the AA.

It is our view that people who drink and drive will not alter their behaviour because there are no consequences…
– AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION

The AA says current analyses of drunk driving in South Africa are fragmented and disparate, with no conclusive findings besides those which call for greater research on the matter, a move the AA supports.

“But we cannot have a situation where the government is guessing to what extent alcohol is a contributor of road deaths with no actual plan to deal with the road safety crisis in South Africa as a whole other than to amend the law. This approach amounts to dealing with the issue of drunk driving without first addressing the issue of current enforcement and lack of education,” says the Association.

“It is our view that people who drink and drive will not alter their behaviour because there are no consequences so they’re willing to take that gamble of being caught. Ensuring proper law enforcement should be the first step before amending laws. If law enforcement doesn’t change how it operates now, how will changing the law make a difference?” asks the AA.

Pedestrian safety remains a huge concern but little is being to deal with this problem
– AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION

The AA says apart from these concerns, the overall safety of roads in South Africa should enjoy priority before amendments such as these are made.

“Pedestrian safety remains a huge concern but little is being to deal with this problem. Road safety requires a total approach which deals with vehicle safety, pedestrian safety, and more education on road safety,” the AA says.

The AA says it stands by its support of the wide-ranging proposals by the Traffic Law Enforcement Review Committee last year to improve traffic law enforcement in the country. It says implementing these recommendations and not focusing on one element of road safety such as drunk driving is needed to deal more effectively with the country’s annual road fatalities which it says amount to a national disaster every year.

“There are practical, workable plans on the table to improve traffic law enforcement which were compiled by experts and traffic officers themselves. Yet there are those who seem intent on focusing on one aspect of road safety – drunk driving – as a panacea for road fatalities. It is, in effect, putting a band aid on a gaping wound with the hope that it will stop the flow of blood. It won’t,” concludes the AA.

If You Booze, You’ll Lose

vuyi on July 8, 2020

Did you know that the smallest amount of alcohol can affect your driving ability?

In spite of all the safety campaigns and warnings about driving under the influence, South Africans continue to practise the dangerous habit of drinking, then driving. For some odd reason, the messaging doesn’t seem to have the desired effect, and the general attitude appears to be “It won’t happen to me”.

The truth however is that even the smallest amount of alcohol affects the neurological system in pretty much the same way. Here are 6-simple ways in which the consumption of alcohols affects one’s ability to drive.

JUDGEMENT

Alcohol affects your ability to assess your position on the road, (e.g., where the centre line is), as well as the position of other elements such other road users, trees, road signs etc. Good judgement is also required for assessing your travelling speed and that of other vehicles.

2. REACTION TIME

The slightest delay in reacting to the fast changing road conditions can result in accidents, injuries or fatalities and because alcohol is a depressant, it slows down your reflexes considerably. Some researchers report that the average person’s reaction time can be reduced as much as 15 – 25% which is a considerably long time should you need to stop or avoid an obstacle.

The general attitude appears to be ‘It won’t happen to me’.

3. CONCENTRATION

Small amounts of alcohol, as little as a BAC of 0.02%, can impair your ability to focus on the many tasks required to drive. Once you lose concentration, you are at risk of causing or being unable to avoid an accident. Alcohol diminishes your attention span, making it difficult to focus on everything necessary for safe driving. It also makes you less likely to make rational decisions and you may be more inclined to drive in a manner that you wouldn’t normally drive when sober.

4. COORDINATION

Eye, hand and foot coordination are essential for safe driving but become severely impaired under the influence of alcohol, making it difficult to turn the steering wheel or apply brakes timeously. This obviously makes a driver who has consumed alcohol a hazard to themselves and other road users

One Drink is One too Many

5. IMPAIRED VISION

Alcohol is a depressant which means it triggers fatigue and drowsiness, making it difficult to pay attention on the road, or even remember that you are driving in the first place which is a frightening thought! Many motorists fall asleep whilst driving resulting in complete loss of vehicular control, serious injury or even death.

If you are a motorist who has gotten away with driving drunk in the past heed our warning because it is only a matter of time before you become just another drunk driving statistic. Not only could you serious injure yourself and others, you could be responsible for the death of your own family members too. Our approach as responsible citizens towards driving under the influence should be “One Drink Is One Too Many” and we should all strive not to drink and drive.

The ABC’s of Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) Levels

vuyi on March 27, 2020

Of course I can drive. I’m not that drunk.

We all know that drinking and driving is a lethal combination which could lead to embarrassing legal implications, serious injury or death; yet every evening, thousands of intoxicated motorists across the country make declarations of a similar nature, confident in the false knowledge that they are safe simply because they have in the past, gotten home alive.

Reaction Time: The more alcohol you consume, the longer it takes for your brain to process vital information. For instance, a movement such as lifting your foot off the accelerator might ordinarily take you 1 second, but under the effects of alcohol your reaction time could increase to 2 seconds or longer.
Impaired Vision: It is not unusual to experience blurred or double vision after a few drinks. Alcohol impairs your peripheral vision, meaning motorists become less aware of what is going on either to their left or right. Further, resulting in an inability to accurately identify pedestrians, trees, road signs and other vehicles.
Reduced Concentration: Driving requires your undivided attention for relatively minor tasks such as staying within one lane, monitoring vehicular, identifying obstacles etc., all of which diminish significantly when alcohol is introduced to the brain.
Lack of Coordination: Eye, hand and foot coordination are essential for driving but after a couple of drinks some motorists struggle with tasks as simple as inserting the key into the ignition.
Poor Judgment: Your ability to plan, react, think, make sound decisions and process information become affected even with the smallest amount of alcohol in one’s system, all of which affect your ability to adopt to rapidly changing events on the road.

There is absolutely no justification for driving after drinking, particularly with the availability of apps such as Uber, Bolt not to mention the value of pre planning like arranging a designated driver or calling a friend.

The decision not to drive after drinking is one which each and every one of us can and should make, and in order to keep the roads safe for all the right decision would be not to drink at all if you will need to drive afterwards.

Remember, law enforcement agents do not prevent people from driving drunk, all they can do is punish those caught in the act.