The mid-term festive season road safety report, released on December 19 in the Western Cape, may have indicated that the average fatalities per day were the lowest in 5 years, but Transport Minister Barbara Creecy emphasised that we still had a long way ahead of us.

Joining the minister was Transport Deputy Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa, Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) representatives, and the Western Cape traffic authorities.

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Creecy highlighted that preliminary reports indicated a 20.9% reduction in fatal crashes and a 20.8% reduction in fatalities from December 1–16, following intensified law enforcement, road safety education, and public messaging. “The average fatalities per day is 32, which is the lowest in 5 years. The top four types of crashes that contributed to the high number of fatalities are accident with pedestrian, hit and run, single vehicle overturned, and head-on collisions.”

The minister added that the number of fatal crashes last year at this time was 545, compared to the 431 the department observed this year, and fatal crashes claimed 638 lives last year this time, compared to 505 lives this year.

The following statistics were highlighted during the briefing:

• 2 364 drivers were arrested for drunken driving,
• 236 drivers were arrested for driving at excessive speeds,
• 178 drivers were arrested for reckless and negligent driving,
• 53 pedestrians were arrested for jaywalking on freeways, and
• 26 motorists were arrested for attempting to bribe traffic officers.

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The transport department noted that Gauteng province accounted for 105 people who were killed in 95 crashes. “While we have already conducted 1 328 education and awareness programmes and have seen progressive success, we still have a long way ahead of us. While Gauteng province was able to bring down crashes by 12%, it remains the highest contributor to the 431-death toll observed by the transport department this year.”

Speaking at Rosebank’s Southern Sun Hotel, during transport month in October at an Aware. Org event, Hlengwa reinforced the importance of behavioural change and public awareness in road safety, noting that even the most advanced infrastructure cannot compensate for irresponsible behaviour. “Although we have seen a decrease in road fatalities, the sobering truth is that so long as we are losing lives, the work remains. To that end, as the transport department, we remain steadfastly committed to our goal of reducing road fatalities by 50% by 2030.”

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