Question

A drunk driver knocked into me from behind & my car is a right off.Where can i go to because my car is not insured & guy didnt pay anything.where can I go to help me with this case.

Answer

I believe your best resource might be via www.accidentclaim.co.za

Question

Why have the road builders stopped building roads which have good water drainage? Water is extremely dangerous to all vehicles. Our roads are full of water and the drainage is extremely poor. What is going to be done about it??

Answer

Best will be to contact your local municipal office or city council

Question

I am a South African in the UK, I have noticed that my SA drivers licence has expired. I have read a previous post by 1 of your users which says that I may be able to apply for a letter in order to have my current drivers licence valid for a switch over. Can you please advise who I can contact?

Answer

David Motloung
eNatis Help Desk officer : Information system section
Road Traffic Management Corporation
Hazeldean Office Park
687 Silver Lakes Road
TIJGER VALLEY
Tel: +2712 809 5232/ 0834294915
[email protected]

Question

Why most serious accidents occurs between 20h30 and 02h30

Answer

This is a topic which deserves a lengthy discussion. The reasons are mostly drunk pedestrians, drunk driving, animals on the road where there are broken fences. There are also many tired drivers on the road after a long day at work etc.

Question

I was told by a friend that in order to register a car that has been scrapped is not as simple as it use to be but that SABS certificates and engineer reports is required. Is this true or not and what is required to re-register a car that was scrapped.

Answer

A letter of Authority from the SABS is only required for a vehicle that has been modified. If the vehicle has been scrapped, a certification of roadworthiness is required. However the regulations do state that the MEC of the province may require any other additional documents in addition to the prescribed documents. It may be that the province, in the interest of road safety, may request the letter of authority from the SABS.

Question

I have a ford Lazer and the back seats do not have a Adult 3 point seat belt. I have only a lap belt. I have a child and have been looking for some time now for a car seat for 3yrs and older that uses a lap belt that will also strap her shoulders in. Or where can I have a 3 point seat belt installed? Regards

Answer

I'd suggest going to one of the baby stores...they normally have quite a wide range of seats...perhaps they have one that can be secured by the lap belt only. In terms of installing a belt, I'm sure a Ford dealership could advise you on the complexity of the task. If it were me, I'd go to a scrapyard and remove a rear belt from a crashed later model Laser / Meteor / Mazda 323 (same model) and just bolt it in. (Obviously, make sure that the belt wasn't occupied at the time of the crash or it may have been stretched and weakened.)

Question

Have the de-merit system been implemented yet? There is an e-mail doing the rounds that is has been as from 01 Feb 2010. it also claims that the 10km grace for speeding have fallen away and that you get find from km1 is this true?

Answer

The demerit system has not been implemented and the email is incorrect. Will keep visitors to the Arrive Alive website updated!

Question

In the area were I live there is many up and down hills. The road is wide with yellow lines. Why have no one considered to make the yellow line narrower and make the road duel lane on the uphills? This will eliminate yellow line driving and increase traffic flow since trucks and slower vehicles can move safely out of the way of cars.

Answer

This needs to be taken up and liaised with the local Department of Roads / Public Works

Question

I understand that yellow line driving is strictly speaking illegal but is allowed/overseen since it saves lives. However I understand that if a vehicle is not driving with all four wheels in the yellow line and you overtake that vehicle while vehicles is approaching it can cost you R1500 in fines even if you do not cross the centre line. Is this correct? When I pull over I never move with all four wheels in the yellow line since I feel this gives me more room for safety and more than enough space for a faster driver to overtake unhindered and safely. Might I be the reason he gets a fine?

Answer

The Road Traffic Act does not say you must drive with all four wheels to the left of the yellow line when being overtaken. I don't know where that information came from or what the R1500 fines were for.

See my post at this forum: http://www.k53-test.co.za/forumDetail.php?forumID=20

Question

When are fines written off? If I have fines issued in 2007 and 2008, can I have it written off?

Answer

“Fines” or Section 341 Notices have a life of their own and there is apparently no length of validity although schedule 3 of the Criminal Procedures Act, 51 1977 does provide for payment of an admission of guilt fine within 30 days of issue of the Section 341 Notice. Once the 30 days has expired and no payment of an admission of guilt fine has been forthcoming, a summons is supposed to be issued but this rarely happens with traffic fines issued under the CPA.

Fines outstanding from 2 or 3 years ago are problematic since if summons were indeed issued in accordance with the Act at this stage, a competent attorney could easily argue that an unreasonable amount of time that has transpired and would not allow the accused to mount a defence due to the fact that  one cannot go back in time to inspect such things as the road conditions, traffic signs etc. If one really thinks about it logically, the issuing authority should also be regarded as not having complied with the Act, however one has to bear in mind that the courts are rarely inclined to sanction traffic authorities for not sticking to the protocols they should comply with.

So, in short the legislation and guidelines on this issue are about as clear as mud.

Of course, all of this will change with the national implementation of the AARTO on 1 April 2010. The Act changes almost everything about how traffic law enforcement is applied and timeframes are clearly defined. Whether traffic authorities stick to those laws or not remains to be seen and this has certainly not been the case in the Pilot implementation areas of Johannesburg and Tshwane. I would say that everyone is in for a rough ride when AARTO comes into effect nationally.