Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

4-minute read
22 June 2023 | 16:15 CAT

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South Africa’s annual road fatality statistics for last year show a grim picture of the dire road safety situation on the country’s roads. The report, recently released by the Automobile Association on the country’s roads, points to the need for more intensive action to curb what the AA considers a national crisis.

Released at the end of May, the Road Traffic Management Corporation’s (RTMC) State of Road Safety in South Africa (January 2022 to December 2022) notes that 12436 people died on South African roads last year. Of these fatalities, 5347 (or 43%) were pedestrians. Last year’s road fatality rate is marginally lower than the 12541 deaths recorded in 2021.

The Automobile Association’s Layton Beard told Radio Islam International that the South African government had signed the United Nations declaration of the decade of action for road safety and has committed in the second decade, from 2020 to 2030. The declaration is committed to reducing vehicle fatalities by half come 2030, called the 50 by 30 campaign.

“The government has acknowledged that the target will not be achieved at the rate of road fatalities occurring in South Africa,” Beard said.

According to Beard, more needs to be done more effectively to address road safety, as the measures in place are inadequate.

“Since 2013, 126546 people have died on our country’s roads. This is unacceptable and tragic, and while the RTMC notes that efforts have been made to improve the road safety environment, these are clearly not enough as our fatality rate only declines slightly year-on-year. Much more focus should be placed on road safety, especially by the RTMC, than what is currently being done,” notes the AA.

“The RTMC is the lead agency responsible for road safety in South Africa, and its leadership enjoy significant salaries and bonusses annually. Yet our country’s road safety remains a massive problem and there doesn’t appear to be any progress in substantially decreasing the annual number of fatal crashes or fatalities. And if, as the RTMC states, ‘… there is still opportunity for better coordination of effort towards road safety to realize greater impact’, why has this not been addressed as a matter of urgency?” the AA asks.

Meanwhile, the increase in Pedestrian victims is a combination of factors.

“We have poor driver behaviour in South Africa resulting mainly from inadequate traffic policing,” says Beard.

“We are not surprised when Easter and end-of-year fatality numbers are high, despite increased traffic law intervention during these periods. Our view is that driver behaviour will never change over a three- or four-week period when drivers are allowed to drive as they wish for the rest of the year without any consequences. We maintain that our country is in serious need of proper traffic law enforcement intervention, and a substantial increase in road safety funding. Unless these two issues are dealt with, our country’s abysmal road safety situation will never improve,” the AA concludes.

Listen to the full interview on Your World Today with host Annisa Essack.