South Africa Moves to Scrap Legal Alcohol Limit for Drivers, Enforce Zero Tolerance: Government
10:59 16.01.2026 (Updated: 12:28 16.01.2026)
© telegram sputnik_africa
Subscribe
South Africa Moves to Scrap Legal Alcohol Limit for Drivers, Enforce Zero Tolerance: Government
The current National Road Traffic Act, which allows drivers a small amount of alcohol, is "totally unacceptable" and must be scrapped, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy stated.
"The time has come for us to amend the law so we have a clear-cut, easy-to-understand, and unambiguous policy that says drinking and driving is not allowed," Creecy said.
The announcement was made alongside the release of the 2025/26 festive season road safety report by the Department of Transport. Preliminary data showed a 5% reduction in fatal crashes compared to the previous year.
However, enforcement testing also revealed a 144% surge in arrests for driving under the influence, with over 8,500 positive tests, the department noted.
Annual statistics for 2025 also indicate a continued downward trend in road crashes and fatalities.
Subscribe to @sputnik_africa
Sputnik Africa | X
The current National Road Traffic Act, which allows drivers a small amount of alcohol, is "totally unacceptable" and must be scrapped, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy stated.
"The time has come for us to amend the law so we have a clear-cut, easy-to-understand, and unambiguous policy that says drinking and driving is not allowed," Creecy said.
The announcement was made alongside the release of the 2025/26 festive season road safety report by the Department of Transport. Preliminary data showed a 5% reduction in fatal crashes compared to the previous year.
However, enforcement testing also revealed a 144% surge in arrests for driving under the influence, with over 8,500 positive tests, the department noted.
Annual statistics for 2025 also indicate a continued downward trend in road crashes and fatalities.
Subscribe to @sputnik_africa
Sputnik Africa | X
