South Africa’s Department of Transport recently announced the roll-out of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) Act combined with the new demerit system, which is set to enforce stricter rules on motorists. The demerit system aims to ensure road users make better decisions, and to make South African roads safer in general.
What you need to know about the new demerit system
Until now, if you drove above the speed limit, made a bad manoeuvre on the road or deviated from your lane, the South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd (SANRAL) simply fined you. Now, there is a bigger risk of going to jail. For example, if caught driving under the influence, you can be put in prison for a term of up to 12 months. This is why road safety and investing in a service specialising in fines and licence renewal assist are so essential.
In the event of a driver accumulating 12 demerit points, his or her licence will be suspended for three months. The number of points incurred will depend on the nature of the traffic offence or charge.
A court will be asked to decide on whether or not a ban would be imposed on the offender. The Automobile Association (AA) believes the new system will make a difference to road safety and that motorists will make better decisions while driving.
How to avoid traffic violations
- Continuing through a red light is a definite violation. Always watch for light changes.
- Slow down, be patient, and realise that changing lanes won’t get you to your destination any faster.
- Driving too close to another vehicle increases your chances of rear-ending another driver. Slow down or change lanes but don’t tailgate.
- Speeding is hazardous to your safety and that of other motorists and pedestrians. Crashes are much more serious when speeding is involved. Avoid violations by watching for speed limit changes.
- Most traffic violations can be avoided by paying attention, and having patience.
Fines and licence renewal assist with Beame Protect
Beame, one of South Africa’s most loved, reliable wireless vehicle tracking brands, now offers an additional driver assistance service through Beame Protect. This service provides fines and licence renewal assist solutions to motorists, which include:
- Fines Assist
Beame Protect’s Fines Assist solution includes assistance with the settling of fines for minor road infringements to ensure reduced payments and to avoid penalties or being arrested for outstanding fines.
- Licence Assist
The Licence Assist solution includes assistance with the annual renewal of vehicle licences, including notifications of a pending expiry and delivering the licence.
- Accident Assist
With Accident Assist, immediate access to the Road Accident Fund (RAF) claims management system is offered. This solution ensures 100% recovery is paid back to you and your family. With Beame Protect, claims are simply registered online.
If you’re interested in finding out more about the above solutions or want to sign up, you can visit the Beame Protect page for detailed information.
