South Africa has recorded a significant decline in road fatalities during the mid-term festive season period compared to the same period last year, according to the Department of Transport’s preliminary road safety report.
Presenting the mid-term findings of the 365 Days Arrive Alive Road Safety Campaign on Friday, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy said fatal crashes decreased from 545 last year to 431 this year between 1 and 16 December, while fatalities dropped from 638 to 505.
Intensified law enforcement
“This represents a 20.9% reduction in fatal crashes and a 20.8% reduction in fatalities,” Creecy said, attributing the improvement to intensified law enforcement, road safety education and public awareness campaigns.
The Free State emerged as the best-performing province, reducing major crashes from 40 to 19 and fatalities from 61 to 20 – a 67.2% decrease in deaths.
While Gauteng managed to reduce crashes by 12%, it remains the highest contributor to the national death toll, recording 105 fatalities in 95 crashes.
KwaZulu-Natal followed with 88 deaths from 85 crashes.
The Western Cape recorded 66 deaths in 55 crashes, the Eastern Cape 52 fatalities in 45 crashes, Mpumalanga 69 fatalities in 50 crashes, North West 34 deaths in 28 crashes, Limpopo 40 deaths in 34 crashes and the Northern Cape 31 fatalities in 20 crashes.
Despite overall improvements, Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape recorded year-on-year increases in fatalities, highlighting what Creecy described as “stubbornly high” behavioural risk.
The average number of daily fatalities during the period stood at 32 – the lowest in five years.
Pedestrian-related incidents
The leading types of fatal crashes were pedestrian-related incidents, hit-and-run collisions, single-vehicle overturns and head-on collisions.
Pedestrians remain the most vulnerable road users, accounting for 44% of fatalities, followed by passengers at 28%, drivers at 26% and cyclists at 2%.
“These preliminary figures remind us that danger remains ever present,” Creecy warned.
“The peak travel days of Christmas and New Year are still ahead, with heavy traffic volumes expected this weekend and again in early January when holidaymakers return to work and schools reopen.”
‘Unacceptable levels’
She added that while enforcement has had a positive impact, fatal crashes continue at unacceptable levels.
“Alcohol misuse, speeding, fatigue and unsafe pedestrian behaviour remain dominant risk factors. Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms during this period also had a devastating impact,” she said.
Creecy confirmed that government will maintain 24-hour high-visibility patrols on major highways and secondary routes in the coming days to further curb road deaths.
