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Arrive Alive widens its Web

By Bontle Moeng, ITWeb trainee journalist
Johannesburg, 20 May 2005
Arrive Alive`s Web site has a new section that allows the public to report hazardous road conditions.

The new section invites the public to provide a full report on specific road conditions such as potholes, missing traffic signs and flooding. Arrive Alive`s call centre then distributes the information to the Department of Transport.

"The Internet can be used effectively to create an information portal for the wider distribution of road safety messages and creation of awareness of road safety," says Johan Jonck, Arrive Alive Web site developer.

"The reports of hazardous road conditions are delivered directly via e-mail to the call centre at the Department of Transport and they relay the message to the various departments of roads, public works and transport."

The Arrive Alive site also allows registered members of the public to report bad driving.

"When the same people appear regularly, the documentation can be provided to the prosecuting authority for analysis and investigation for possible legal action," says Jonck.

"The reports on bad driving from the Web site show there is a lot of goodwill among the public, and the need to make a contribution. The need for greater road safety is well understood by the public and they often feel helpless when they read and hear about accidents.

"We need to use all technology available and it makes sense that it is much easier to report hazardous road conditions once at the office or at home than having to contact a call centre while driving," says Jonck.

So far, 7 215 offences have been reported to the call centre, with 2 889 registered public traffic observers.

"We are proud to confirm that at least 300 of these observer registrations have been done from the Web site. This we hope will further enhance public support to existing road safety efforts," says Jonck.

For more information on becoming a voluntary observer, register online.

Related story:
Web site aims to cut road deaths

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