Pretoria: The preliminary 2024/2025 Festive Season Statistics reveal a concerning increase in road crashes and fatalities across South Africa, primarily attributed to human behavior. Transport Minister Barbara Creecy disclosed during a media briefing in Pretoria that the country recorded 1,502 deaths from 1,234 fatal crashes during the festive season, marking a 5.3% increase in fatalities and a 4.2% rise in the number of crashes compared to the previous year.
According to South African Government News Agency, the statistics indicate that 87% of crashes were due to human behavior, including factors such as hit-and-runs, jay-walking, fatigue, loss of control over vehicles, speeding, drunken driving, and reckless overtaking. Despite efforts from law enforcement to curb such behaviors, many road users continued to act carelessly, endangering lives.
Six provinces-KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Free State, Limpopo, Northern Cape, and North West-witnessed an increase in fatalities. The Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Free State recorded the highest increases, while Gauteng, Western Cape, and Mpumalanga saw decreases in fatalities.
Pedestrian fatalities remain a significant concern, accounting for 41% of all road deaths. The highest percentage of pedestrian fatalities occurred in Gauteng, Western Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal, with Gauteng recording the highest at 63.84%.
During this period, law enforcement conducted joint operations, focusing on vehicle roadworthiness, public passenger transport, drunken driving, execution of warrants of arrest, and speed law enforcement. Officers issued over 711,000 fines for traffic offenses, including failure to wear seatbelts and using cell phones while driving. Additionally, 16,527 vehicles were deemed unroadworthy, leading to fines and the removal of motor vehicle license discs.
In total, 8,917 vehicles were impounded, and over 9,550 motorists were arrested for various violations, including over 3,800 for drunken driving. Among the arrests, 414 drivers were caught speeding excessively, with one individual driving at 245 km/h in Gauteng.
Minister Creecy emphasized the need for behavioral change among road users and highlighted the importance of collaboration between government and citizens to enhance road safety. She urged provinces to analyze their statistics and devise a clear plan for improvement, focusing on severe consequences for those disregarding road safety.
Creecy also stressed the necessity of 24/7 traffic policing and the allocation of National Traffic Police resources to provinces to strengthen road safety communication and education campaigns. The approach aims to ensure consistent road safety activities throughout the year, particularly on weekends and across all provinces.