The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) is calling on motorists to prioritise vehicle maintenance and licence renewals as millions of South Africans prepare for festive-season travel.
With December holidays approaching, the RTMC warns that road safety begins with ensuring that vehicles are in proper working condition. Motorists are encouraged to use year-end bonuses and stokvel payouts to address overdue repairs, including replacing worn tyres, fixing cracked windscreens, repairing faulty brakes, lights, and wipers.
The corporation emphasises that these components are especially critical as the country enters a period of increased rainfall and wet road conditions. According to last year’s festive season crash data, vehicle-related factors accounted for 6.9% of fatal crashes, with 65.7% linked to tyre bursts, 11.4% to faulty brakes, and 9.5% to headlights that were not switched on, reducing visibility.
Motorists are also reminded to renew vehicle licence discs before travelling. RTMC records show that 1,060,382 vehicle licences are set to expire at the end of November. Provincial breakdowns include:
-
Gauteng: 416,828 due for renewal
-
Western Cape: 197,797
-
KwaZulu-Natal: 143,293
-
Mpumalanga: 66,446
-
Eastern Cape: 63,263
-
Limpopo: 58,551
-
Free State: 47,572
-
North West: 44,871
-
Northern Cape: 21,763
Driving with an expired licence disc carries penalties such as monthly late renewal fees amounting to 10% of the annual licence cost, fines of up to R1,000, and the potential impoundment of the vehicle.
Motorists are urged to act now to avoid unnecessary penalties and to ensure safer roads this festive season.