AS part of an ongoing initiative to curb drunk driving, the Mtubatuba Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) have made a handful of arrests.
The scheduled roadblock on the outskirts of St Lucia on Friday, organised by Traffic Officer ‘Dup’ du Preez, saw more than 50 motorists breathalysed and at least four arrested for being over the legal limit.
‘When I saw people getting out of hand at the beaches on Friday afternoon, I thought it would be a good idea to put together a roadblock,’ said Du Preez, and in fewer than three hours it was organised.
At about 7pm, a motorist thought to be trying to avoid a breathalyser test accelerated through the roadblock, narrowly missing Du Preez and one other RTI employee who had to dive out of the way.
An earlier accident, however, caused a leak in the sump of the fleeing driver’s car which eventually let him down.
Road traffic officers in hot pursuit made the arrest.
Mtubatuba RTI and Du Preez, who is based in St Lucia, warned that they will be clamping down on both drunk driving and drinking in public this festive season.
