Motorist must start preparing for South Africa’s new driving laws, which are set to be implemented on 1 July 2021.
This is according to a report by BusinessTech, which looked at the upcoming “controversial” Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) Amendment Act.
The report quoted advice from the Road Safety Partnership (RSP), which stated that the Aarto Act will see a points system put in place for local drivers.
Each time a driving offence is committed, a driver will receive a set number of demerit points. If they repeatedly commit offences and receive a certain number of demerit points, they will be disqualified from driving.
A breakdown of the points system is below.
- Total points: A maximum of 15 demerit points can be received by a driver. After this, they will be disqualified from driving their vehicle.
- Duration: The duration of the disqualification will equal three months for every point over the 15-point limit.
“If demerit points are allocated to a person or vehicle record and no further demerit points are accrued in three months after receiving the previous demerit point, a reduction of one point on the total number of demerit points will be recorded on the system,” stated the report.
If a driver receives three disqualifications under the new system, their licence will be cancelled.
They will then be required to apply for a learner’s licence, and then a driver’s licence, once their disqualification period is over.
It is important to note that “only the driver/juristic person is held responsible for the use of the vehicle”, and that vehicles are “not punished by the system”, it added.
Prepare now
The RSP stated that both individuals and businesses must prepare now for the new driving laws.
This includes getting to know the Aarto Act, which offences warrant demerit points, and how they will deal with drivers who have their licences suspended.
“If [motorists] take action now and change their own bad driving behaviours, Aarto can only have a limited impact on one, if any impact at all,” said the RSP.
“It is habitual non-compliance that will allow Aarto to affect drivers. Critically address any non-compliance, even before the act comes into effect, and it will substantially limit the potential effect that Aarto can have.”
Demerit points
| Infringement | Fine | Demerit Points |
|---|---|---|
|
Failure to comply and licences
|
||
| Failure to stop vehicle on the command of a traffic officer | N/A | 6 |
| Failure to comply with the direction of a police officer who is directing traffic | R2 000 | 3 |
| Operated a vehicle on a public road with expired licence | R2 000 | 3 |
| Operated a vehicle on a public road without a licence | R2 000 | 3 |
| Driving a vehicle with a learner’s licence with no licensed driver in the car | R3 500 | 5 |
|
Roadworthiness and lights
|
||
| Removed or altered components of vehicle affecting its roadworthiness | R3 500 | 5 |
| Operated a vehicle with a brake that is not in good working order | R3 500 | 5 |
| Operated a vehicle with a damaged lamp (light) | R1 000 | 1 |
| Operated a vehicle between sunset and sunrise or during unfavourable visibility conditions without lamps | R1 500 | 2 |
| Stop lamp (light) not emitting a red light when in use | R1 000 | 1 |
|
Seatbelts
|
||
| Driver did not ensure that all passengers were wearing seatbelts | R1 500 | 1 |
| Vehicle not fitted with seatbelts correctly | R1 000 | 1 |
| Seatbelts not working properly | R500 | 1 |
|
Traffic signs and speed limits
|
||
| Failed to obey stop sign | R1 500 | 2 |
| Failed to obey yield sign | R1 000 | 1 |
| Failed to obey directions at a four-way stop sign | R1 500 | 2 |
| Failed to comply with directions of a road traffic sign by not maintaining or exceeding the specified speed limit | R1 000 | 1 |
| Failed to comply with directions of a road traffic sign by not passing on the left-hand side | R500 | 1 |
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