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The nationwide rollout of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) system has entered a new phase, with experts warning that businesses operating vehicle fleets can no longer afford to treat traffic fine management as an administrative afterthought.This week, Aarto officially came into force in 62 municipalities as part of the second phase of its implementation. The system will be extended to a further 151 municipalities later this year, while the demerit points system is scheduled to be introduced in 2027.According to advanced driver training company MasterDrive, the latest rollout fundamentally changes how organisations need to manage traffic infringements involving company vehicles.“It is an active legal reality with immediate administrative and financial implications, and the businesses responding fastest will be the ones best protected,” said MasterDrive CEO Eugene Herbert.Under the new system, every traffic fine issued to a company vehicle is linked directly to the organisation’s Business Registration Number (BRN) through the eNatis database.This means companies can no longer rely on unclear driver accountability to delay or avoid processing infringements.Paying fines promptlyHerbert said businesses should appoint dedicated staff or teams to monitor, verify and settle fines as quickly as possible, ideally within 30 days to benefit from available discounts. Fleet operators that have not reviewed their compliance procedures should do so urgently, he said.“Organisations need a system to track outstanding fines against company vehicles, verify payments consistently and ensure drivers understand their role in reducing infringements.”Beyond administrative processes, Herbert said companies investing in structured driver training programmes would be better positioned to minimise both infringements and the associated costs.“Rather than managing paperwork after the fact, the offences often never happen because drivers are more aware of risky behaviours and actively avoid them,” he said.The financial consequences of poor compliance extend beyond the value of individual fines.Vehicles with unpaid fines cannot be licensed, have their licences renewed or be transferred until outstanding amounts have been settled. For fleet operators, this could leave vehicles off the road, delay deliveries and disrupt day-to-day operations.While the demerit points system will only be implemented during a later phase, Herbert said businesses should use the transition period to strengthen their compliance systems before penalties become more severe.“Unresolved compliance gaps today will become even more serious once individual drivers begin accumulating demerit points that could eventually result in licence suspension or cancellation.”Historically, fewer than one in five traffic fines were paid under South Africa’s previous enforcement system. Aarto is intended to improve compliance by streamlining the administration and collection of traffic penalties, placing greater responsibility on both drivers and vehicle owners.Business Day
