Transport Minister Barbara Creecy announced a 5.3% increase in road fatalities compared to last year's festive season, with 1,502 deaths reported across the nation. Several provinces witnessed significant increases in fatalities, while human error was identified as a major contributing factor in 87% of collisions.
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy announced the 2024/2025 festive season death toll on Monday, revealing a somber reality on South African roads. A tragic accident in Mpumalanga claimed the lives of seven individuals, including a toddler, during the holiday period. Creecy reported a grim increase of 5.3% compared to the previous year, with a total of 1,502 fatalities resulting from 1,234 fatal crashes across the nation. Several provinces witnessed a surge in fatalities.
KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Eastern Cape, Limpopo, Northern Cape, and North West all recorded higher death tolls compared to the 2023/2024 festive season. The Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Free State experienced particularly alarming increases, with 70, 54, and 21 additional fatalities respectively. Gauteng, Western Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal, the most populous provinces in terms of both vehicles and people, unfortunately, reported the highest percentage of pedestrian fatalities. Creecy emphasized that human error played a significant role in 87% of collisions, encompassing a range of dangerous behaviors such as hit-and-runs, jaywalking, drowsiness, loss of vehicle control, speeding, intoxicated driving, and reckless overtaking. To combat these issues, law enforcement officers apprehended over 9,550 motorists, with 3,840 individuals specifically arrested for driving under the influence. A staggering 414 drivers were arrested for speeding, including five individuals clocked at excessive speeds between 200km/h and well above 245km/h. The Transport Minister stressed the need for consequences for drivers who disregard the law and endanger the lives of others, vowing to enhance road user behavior through strict enforcement of safe speeds and improved emergency response systems. She urged motorists to prioritize caution and patience on the roads while assuring the public that law enforcement agencies will continue to actively target those who flout traffic regulations
ROAD FATALITIES FESTIVE SEASON SOUTH AFRICA TRANSPORTATION DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE
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