RAF urges youth to lead road safety drive amid high fatality rates
The Road Accident Fund warns young people remain most at risk on South African roads while expanding training initiatives to improve safety and employability.
As South Africa commemorates Youth Month, the Road Accident Fund (RAF) is calling on young people to take an active role in improving road safety and reducing crashes in their communities nationwide.
Bloemfontein Courant reports that, according to the RAF, young people remain among the most vulnerable road users, accounting for 50.1% of all road fatalities. This age group is frequently exposed to risky behaviours such as reckless and distracted driving, speeding, drinking and driving, as well as unsafe pedestrian practices.
Beyond road safety concerns, the RAF has also highlighted the significant financial burden that road accidents place on the organisation, particularly in relation to injury claims and fatalities.
Youth Driver Development Programme
This year marks a significant milestone for the organisation as it enters the third year of its Youth Driver Development Programme, an initiative aimed at empowering unemployed matriculated youth with professional driving skills and road safety education.
Launched in the 2024/25 financial year, the programme has already reached 760 young people aged between 23 and 34. An additional 360 participants are expected to be enrolled during the current financial year.
Participants are selected from high-accident areas through municipalities, in collaboration with local youth development departments. The programme enables successful candidates to obtain a Code 10 or Code 14 learner’s licence, a driving licence and a professional driving permit.
The initiative not only improves road safety awareness but also enhances employability, giving young people access to opportunities within the transport and logistics sectors.
Call for youth-driven change
“Youth are not only road users but also influential agents of change who can shape safer behaviour among peers, families and communities,” the fund noted.
It added that the future of road safety rests in the hands of young people. “By equipping them with driving skills, road safety education and opportunities for economic participation, we are investing in safer roads and stronger communities.”
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Read original story on www.bloemfonteincourant.co.za
