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Many of today’s youth turn to alcohol or drugs as a form of tranquility or simply to just have fun. The reason this topic was chosen is because many of the youth in our society today are destroying their lives due to these harmful substances. Driving under the influence is known to be one of the largest risk factors that lead to traffic accidents. This puts many lives in danger and it needs to be eradicated from our society.
The SAPS crime statistics regarding driving under the influence of booze or drugs shows several changes amongst the past three years. Between 2015/2016 there has been 76,159 cases reported. Between 2016/2017 there has been 75,034 cases reported and between 2017/2018 there has been 86,160 cases reported. Between 2016 and 2017 there has been a 1.5% decrease of this activity which is a difference of 1,125 cases. However between the year 2017 and 2018 there has been a drastic increase of 14, 8% which is a difference of 11,126 cases. This is a tremendous increase and is not good for the welfare of the society as more people are engaging in this activity and risking the lives of others as well as themselves.
The crime of driving under the influence of alcohol has increased due people turning to drugs or alcohol as a stress reliever or simply to have a good time, as this has become the norm in society. These harmful substances alter an individual’s state of mind when consumed and can be used as an escape mechanism from their daily troubles. They tend to not think about the consequences or the effects it may have to their bodies and to others around them.
During festive times these crimes are at its peak as more people have free time and want to party. Alcohol and drugs are known to be primary sources of most parties that take place. Articles reported on News24.com stated that during the festive time there were many incidents involving motorists who were under the influence of alcohol. It was said that one of the specific developments going forward will be the intensification of law enforcement operations on certain travelling dates with a specific focus on speeding, drunk driving and the wearing of seat belts.
Transport Minister Blade Nzimande in an article stated that he would also engage with the Department of Justice and National Prosecuting Authority to ensure that serious cases were expedited, and the Minister will also be having a meeting with the Minister of Trade and Industry to review the trading hours of taverns and restaurants where liquor is sold. It is reported that in December last year during a mid-festive season the deaths on the road had increased by 16% during the beginning of month, compared to the same period in 2017.
In the Western Cape there have been random drug tests conducted at any time across the province. This was a positive step which had the effect of a decrease of 0.9% in reported cases which is approximately 119 cases. This is an improvement in such crimes. However, this was just for the Western Cape and the same cannot be stated for all Provinces. In South Africa driving under the influence of booze or drugs has overall increased.
Gauteng has the highest rate of 33,173 reported cases within the year of 2017-2018. This province has an increase of 19.2% which is 5339 cases. Whereas the Northern Cape has the least amount of reported cases and has an increase of 1.9% from the previous year.
This crime has increased due to motorists being careless and risking driving under the influence of these harmful substances as they are not in their right state of mind. News reporters state that people tend to take the chance to drive when intoxicated with the mindset that they won’t get caught or be involved in an accident.
Despite knowing that drinking under the influence is a serious crime, as stated under section 65(1) and 65(2) of the National Road Traffic Act, people still tend to do it. Measures must be put in place to ensure that those who are disobeying the law receive the required punishment. There are many steps one can take to prevent this crime from taking place. One can initiate random drugs tests regularly, so that people will not risk driving under the influence of any illegal substance. If people are consuming alcohol and need to relocate to another venue then instead of driving while intoxicated they could ask a friend who is not intoxicated to give them a ride. Recent developments such as Uber and Taxify also prevent driving under the influence.
The South African government should pass laws lowering their drunken driving thresholds from a blood alcohol concentration of 0, 05 gram per 100 millilitres to 0, 03 gram per 100 millilitres. Studies show that a person loses the ability to operate a vehicle when their Blood-Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level begins to drop. Other countries have successfully dropped the rate of deaths due to drunken driving by reducing the BAC.
Alcohol taxes can be increased as drivers will not want to pay high fees or fines. Instead they will just drive responsibly. The local governments can also take steps to reduce alcohol availability. There can be a set time that alcohol can be bought or sold and only certain places that have the required license can sell these liquors.
A demerit system can be put into place for those who disobey the law and choose to drive under the influence of these illegal substances. Measures such as a driver’s license can be suspended after breaking this law three times (namely caught driving under the influence more than three times).
In conclusion the author acknowledges that this is a very serious crime and more strict measures should be put into place to prevent this crime from increasing rapidly. Research shows that driving under the influence of booze or drugs is one of the biggest downfalls to road safety in South Africa. It indicates that 50% of people who die on the roads have a BAC above 0.05 gram per mililitres. This crime has dramatically increased over the past year and many lives are being lost due to this carelessness.
References
- https://www.wheels24.co.za/News/Guides_and_Lists/watch-driving-under-the-influence-heres-how-sa-can-curb-drunk-driving-20181205
- https://www.news24.com/Tags/Topics/drunk_driving
- https://www.wheels24.co.za/News/Guides_and_Lists/one-of-the-most-dangerous-road-traffic-offences-drunk-driving-continues-to-a-scourge-on-sa-roads-nearly-15-increase-in-dui-20180912
- https://www.thesouthafrican.com/south-africa-crime-stats-2018-increase-d ecrease/.
- https://www.wheels24.co.za/News/Guides_and_Lists/watch-warning-dont-drink-and-drive-random-breath-testing-will-be-anytime-and-anywhere-20181220
- https://www.golegal.co.za/drunk-driving-law/
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