2006年VOA标准英语-Holiday Traffic Fatalities Decline in South Afr

By Scott Bobb
Johannesburg
29 December 2006

Authorities in South Africa say traffic fatalities¹ on the nation's roads have declined during the December holiday period in comparison with last year. They credit the drop to a program of road checks, driver education and stiffer punishments for speeders and drunk drivers. Correspondent Scott Bobb reports from Johannesburg.

Rush-hour traffic in Johannesburg (26 Oct 2005)

South Africa's Transportation Department has reported a drop of more than 10 percent in the number of traffic fatalities (1150) this month compared to the same period last year.

This is due in part to an aggressive program of road blocks, roving patrols and driver education coordinated² by the Arrive Alive safety campaign.

The head of the campaign, Ntau Letebele, says 90 percent of all traffic fatalities involve some violation³ of traffic laws.

He said, "Our main challenge on the road is the combination of speed and alcohol, pedestrian jaywalking as well as unroadworthy vehicles."

South Africa has one of the highest per capita traffic death rates in Africa. And Africa has three times more traffic deaths per number of overall vehicles than the global average.

Officials say more than one half of all traffic fatalities in South Africa involve speeding. Alcohol is also involved in a majority of fatal crashes as well as in some 70 percent of pedestrian deaths.

Transportation officials say this year 7,500 traffic officers have been deployed⁴ and are conducting 1,000 road checks per day.

On Christmas Day in the Johannesburg area alone, traffic police caught 5,000 drivers exceeding the speed limit.

Letebele says a major challenge is convincing people that traffic laws are meant to save lives and should be obeyed.

"Here we still have a big problem around [regarding] changing people's culture, around [regarding] realizing that if you break a traffic rule, signposted speed limit, if you get drunk and drive you are irresponsible. And that must be socially unacceptable," he said.

The South African government has announced new measures to reduce traffic fatalities beginning next year. These include seizing the vehicles of severe violators and a demerit (point) system that could lead to the confiscation⁵ of repeat offenders⁶' driving licenses⁷.

1 fatalities   

n.恶性事故( fatality的名词复数 )；死亡；致命性；命运

参考例句：

• Several people were injured, but there were no fatalities. 有几个人受伤，但没有人死亡。
• The accident resulted in fatalities. 那宗意外道致多人死亡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

3 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

4 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

5 confiscation   

n. 没收, 充公, 征收

参考例句：

• Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels. 没收一切流亡分子和叛乱分子的财产。 来自英汉非文学 - 共产党宣言
• Confiscation of smuggled property is part of the penalty for certain offences. 没收走私财产是对某些犯罪予以惩罚的一部分。

6 offenders   

n.冒犯者( offender的名词复数 )；犯规者；罪犯；妨害…的人（或事物）

参考例句：

• Long prison sentences can be a very effective deterrent for offenders. 判处长期徒刑可对违法者起到强有力的威慑作用。
• Purposeful work is an important part of the regime for young offenders. 使从事有意义的劳动是管理少年犯的重要方法。

7 licenses   

n.执照( license的名词复数 )v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Drivers have ten days' grace to renew their licenses. 驾驶员更换执照有10天的宽限期。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Jewish firms couldn't get import or export licenses or raw materials. 犹太人的企业得不到进出口许可证或原料。 来自辞典例句