South Africans the worst booze cruisers on earth
Every South African knows that driving on our roads is a great risk, especially after you or your fellow road user has had a dop or two, but how bad can it be?
In 2015 the World Health Organisation (WHO) released its Global Status Report on Road Safety. It also studied the number of fatalities due to drunk driving, and the results were shocking.
One would expect a third-world country with little or no law-enforcement to top the list. Unfortunately, that is not the case. According to the report, South Africa is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for road accidents, with 25.1 deaths per 100 000 people every year.
Read more: Graphic road-safety ad shocks South Africans.
It also shows that nearly six out of every 10 fatalities (58 per cent) on our roads can be attributed to drunk driving.
FYI
• Of the deaths by type of road user in Africa, 40% were passengers and 39% were pedestrians
• South Africa has no speed law or limit on urban roads (>50km/h)
• The country reportedly has no child restraint law or the child restraint is law not based on age/weight/height
• The lowest rates for road fatalities are in the European region
• Vehicles sold in 80% of all countries worldwide fail to meet basic safety standards.
Also read: Pedestrians crossing – it’s everyone’s problem.
