GEORGE NEWS - The holiday season in George delivered more than festive cheer to the Garden Route - it brought a surge of activity on the roads, as traffic authorities worked tirelessly to ensure public safety.
George Municipality released traffic data for the period 1 December 2024 to 6 January, including speeding violations, parking issues, drunk drivers, and everything in between.
Accidents and fatalities
As at 1 January, a total of 1 157 032 vehicles had been stopped and checked by road traffic authorities in the Western Cape as part of the festive season enforcement plan aimed at promoting safety on national roads.
During this time, joint traffic services in George attended to 28 vehicle accidents. Of these, six reported injuries, and a pedestrian was hit and killed on the N2 near the Pacaltsdorp bridge.
In George, 1 983 notices were issued and 31 vehicles impounded.
Speeding, however, remained a big concern, with speed cameras recording an alarming 44 751 cases in December and 15 999 cases in January - a total of 60 750 speeding fines - so keep an eye on your post box.
Camera systems monitored an impressive 4 508 583 vehicles throughout the period.
Parking violations were also a focus, with 85 parking tickets and 909 summonses issued. These amounted to a staggering R1 118 400 in fines.
Speeding cameras like these could be seen all over George.
Drunk-driving arrests
Surprisingly, only four individuals were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol in George over the holidays. However, many litres of alcohol were confiscated from beachgoers. On Christmas Day, 26 592 visitors were recorded on beaches in George and Boxing Day, 26 December, saw 25 278 visitors.
Popular beaches such as Herold's Bay, Victoria Bay and Leentjiesklip experienced the largest influx of visitors, with thousands flocking to these scenic locations.
A total of 120,53 litres of alcohol were confiscated over the two days. Of this total, 64,87 litres were destroyed on site.
Vehicles carrying alcohol were turned away when necessary.
Despite the festive atmosphere, several incidents required law enforcement intervention. Verbal abuse towards officials was reported on multiple occasions, and arrests were made for assaulting an officer.
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