“South African road safety statistics remain amongst the worst in the world, which has necessitated the development of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences or AARTO system, as it is known,” says road traffic and transport legislation consultant, Alta Swanepoel. “The goal of AARTO is to ensure that traffic offenders and infringers are held accountable and penalised for their non-compliance with the road rules.”
Due for national roll out on 1 July 2021, according to Minister Mbalula, failure to adhere to AARTO rules could result in driving licence and vehicle suspensions. As such it is vital that anyone who drives a vehicle on a public road knows what the Act is about and how it will affect them.
Swanepoel, who was also part of the team to draft the AARTO Regulations and Schedules and is the editor of Road Traffic and Road Transport Legislation Service, has developed an online training course to assist company representatives and individuals understand the impact of the legislation.
The self-paced AARTO Act and draft AARTO Regulations course, offered in partnership with LexisNexis, consists of three modules covering the purpose of the legislation, administrative procedures, demerit points, discounts, forms and a list of all the offences and infringements impacted by the legislation.
It also includes a comprehensive manual with the AARTO Act and Draft Regulations as they will apply, as well as general notes on the impact of the legislation on company proxies, drivers, operators, etc., providing expert, user-friendly advice to employers, senior executives, management staff and employees in complying with the legislation. The course costs R2950 per delegate with a 5% discount offered for five- to nine-delegate group bookings or 10% discount for 10 or more delegate groups.
The AARTO Draft Regulations were published for comment on 2 October 2020 following the signing of the AARTO Amendment Act, 2019 by the president in August last year. While serious road traffic offences will still be prosecuted in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 (CPA), AARTO will be implemented to replace the system used for the issuing of traffic fines and brings with it improved fine collection procedures, more convenient ways of paying fines and penalties for non-compliance.
Road users, business owners, fleet managers and compliance officers need to have a clear understanding of the terms, conditions and penalties involved in AARTO, including the demerit system, an integral and vital part of the legislation.
Alta Swanepoel was part of the team that drafted the South African National Road Traffic Act and Regulations, the AARTO Regulations and Schedules. She has consulted to government organisations in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Jamaica as well as to Sanral, TRAC, Bakwena and the National Department of Transport.
Alta has been involved in AARTO, TCSP and AA Technical Committee projects and conducted refresher course training for traffic officers as well as annual Road Traffic Legislation Workshops. She is the contributing author to the Road Traffic and Road Transport Legislation Service published by LexisNexis and aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice with her title and this course.
LexisNexis Legal and Professional is a leading global provider of legal, regulatory and business information and analytics that help customers increase productivity, improve decision-making and outcomes, and advance the rule of law around the world. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis® and Nexis® services. LexisNexis Legal & Professional, which serves customers in more than 150 countries with 10,600 employees worldwide, is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers.
In South Africa LexisNexis® has been assisting companies and professionals to remain abreast of changing legislation and shifts in the regulatory environment for over 80 years, combining the best of local knowledge in Butterworths with leading-edge tools and online solutions that have positioned the company as a pioneer of legal technology. LexisNexis South Africa’s business units include LexisNexis Legal Information and Compliance, LexisNexis Data Services, LexisNexis Business Software Solutions and LexisNexis Academic. South African investment firm, Tsiya Group acquired a minority interest in LexisNexis South Africa in July 2012.
