Transport minister outlines festive season interventions

AT the launch of the 2024 Festive Season Road Safety Campaign, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy spoke on the negative impact road accidents have on the country’s citizens.

South Africa saw 11 883 road accident-related deaths in 2023, 1 285 of which occurred during the festive season.
KZN recorded the second-highest number of road deaths.

As at 1 December, 10 154 lives have been lost in road accidents this year. Alcohol use and speed are two of the biggest contributors to road deaths, and most crashes occur over weekends, late at night or in the early morning.

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This festive season, the Department of Transport (DoT) and the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) are working together on targeted interventions centring on responsible driving, pedestrian safety, enforcement, and education and collaboration.

Some 20 priority routes have been identified based on accident data highlighting hotspot areas, and these will be focused on throughout this period. These include stretches of the N2 and the R61, among others.

Stringent monitoring and 24/7 traffic policing is in place to ensure the implementation of law enforcement on these routes and throughout the country, especially regarding speed offences, drunk driving, vehicle inspections, and at high-traffic areas such as border posts.

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With the National Road Safety Strategy, the DoT has set a target to halve road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030, in line with the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety.

However, government and policing alone cannot change the reality of road fatalities in South Africa. All road users play a part in behavioural change.

Drivers are encouraged to ensure their vehicles (including those being towed) are licensed and roadworthy, and to always carry their driver’s licences.

It is recommended to take a break from driving roughly every two hours or 200km – fatigue can be fatal.

It is important to buckle up, follow the speed limit, try to only drive during daylight hours, and do not drink and drive.

Pedestrians should only cross roads at marked intersections, avoid jaywalking, wear bright clothing at night, and stay off the roads if under the influence of alcohol.

“Please celebrate responsibly this festive season. Together, we can make our roads safer,” said Creecy.

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