'Road users failed SA': RTMC

Road users have failed South Africa, not the plan to halve the festive season death toll by 2015, the Road Traffic Management Corporation said on Wednesday.

"In general the plan is working... If anyone failed, it's the road users that failed," spokesman Ashref Ismail said.

"People must learn to behave because only 80 percent of motorists are complying, others are aggressive and hostile.

"It is too early to say if the plan is working or not. Let the campaign run its course. We will come up with the necessary comparisons after the campaign."

He was responding to a report in The Star on Wednesday that the road traffic safety management plan was failing.

The newspaper reported that during the December 2006/January 2007 festive period the death toll was 1261.

In 2008, the transport department announced a plan to halve this figure by 2015.

On Monday, the RTMC announced that the 1207 people were killed in 1006 accidents since the beginning of December.

"Our plans are working, but it's not acceptable that between 38 and 50 people die on the roads daily and during the festive season it is only 42 people a day. This must be dealt with and South Africans will have to pull together."

- SAPA