Easter is traditionally one of the busiest travel periods, with a sharp rise in traffic volumes on national highways. Motorists are being urged to check and settle any outstanding traffic fines before travelling.

The increase in traffic volumes is accompanied by increased police visibility, including roadblocks, patrols, and intensified compliance checks aimed at improving road safety and reducing accidents.

Common checks at roadblocks include: driver’s licence validity, vehicle roadworthiness, licence disc compliance, outstanding traffic fines, and speeding and distracted driving offences.

“Many motorists only realise they have outstanding fines when they’re stopped, which can lead to delays and added costs,” said Fines SA CEO Barry Berman.

“Taking just a few minutes to check your fine status on platforms like the Fines SA website or app before you travel can save you time, money, and unnecessary stress.”

The most common offences during holiday travel tend to include speeding, distracted driving, expired vehicle licences, and failure to wear seatbelts. 

One of the most common issues motorists face is simply not knowing that they have outstanding fines. Traffic fines are issued by different municipalities and agencies, which means many drivers only discover them months later.

With the growing use of AI-powered camera systems, motorists are also more likely to be fined for behaviours like using a mobile phone while driving or failing to wear a seatbelt.

Transport minister Barbara Creecy said law enforcement will keep a close eye on traffic danger zones and try to keep reckless pedestrians out of harm’s way.

During the announcement of the 2025/2026 festive season road safety report, it was revealed most incidents occurred over weekends between 19:00 and 21:00, and again between midnight and 01:00. They included collisions with pedestrians, hit-and-run incidents, single-vehicle overturns, and head-on collisions.

Driver and pedestrian behaviour are the major causes of accidents, Creecy said. “In this particular campaign, we are going to be patrolling hotspots where there are frequent accidents with pedestrians. 

“We will be trying to encourage pedestrians to use pedestrian bridges. We will also be patrolling informal settlements where there are taverns next to highways and dissuading (patrons) taverners from running across the highways.”

OFM News/Zenande Mpame dg

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