At least 36 motorists were arrested for speeding by the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) over the weekend.
This weekend’s operation by the JMPD’s High-Speed Unit was focused on 80km/h zones around the outskirts of the city, where the highest speed recorded was 152km/h, driven by a motorist in a Volkswagen Polo.
That specific operation, conducted at Winnie Mandela and Mnandi road in Diepsloot, saw 16 motorists arrested for speeding. The suspects were detained at the Diepsloot police station.
A further 16 drivers were arrested for speeding on Malibongwe Drive near the N14 in Lanseria, and here the most hurried motorist was a Hyundai driver, nabbed doing 144km/h in this 80km/h zone.
In another operation at the R55 and Maxwell Drive in Woodmead, four motorists were arrested for driving over the speed limit. Here the highest was a Volkswagen Polo, caught doing 140km/h. The four suspects were detained at the Midrand police station.
This weekend’s operation follows 22 arrests at two JMPD roadblocks last week, where the fastest motorists was clocked at 159km/h.
Here’s how fast you need to drive to get arrested in South Africa
South Africans usually associate speeding arrests with sensational speeds such as 200km/h or beyond, with BMWs and GTIs usually grabbing the headlines.
But, according to Section 35 of the National Road Traffic Act, a motorist can be arrested for exceeding the speed limit by just 30k/h in an urban area or on a public road outside and urban area, or by 40km/h on a freeway.
This theoretically means you could be arrested for driving 90km/h in a 60km/h zone, or at 110km/h where the limit is 80km/h.
The law states that such drivers should be arrested and brought before court, while the person’s driving licence will also be automatically suspended. The motorist must then provide reasons to the court why the suspension should not be confirmed, says Webbers Attorneys.
Speeding has been identified as the primary factor in 30% of car crashes and a contributing factor in a further 40%, according to the Department of Transport.
The JMPD said it is also taking a tough stance on drunk driving and those operating unroadworthy vehicles.
The department announced last week that any vehicles found to have three or more defects would be discontinued. This would include worn tyres, cracked windscreens, engine oil leaks, faulty brakes and indicators not working.
Unroadworthy vehicles are a major cause of concern in South Africa, accounting for around 15% of all accidents, according to Hippo Insurance.
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