Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says there’s been an almost 14 percent decline in road traffic fatalities in the 2022-2023 festive season compared to the previous year.
He says this translates to 1 451 deaths. Mbalula says human error remains the main contributing factor. Driver fatalities account for 87 percent of all crashes.
Mbalula released the road traffic statistics in a media briefing in the south of Johannesburg.
“Pedestrian fatalities remain a major source of concern. Pedestrian fatalities significantly increased by 10% year on year from 31% in the previous period to 41% in the current festive season. Simply put out, of every 100 road crash fatalities, 41 are pedestrians. In Gauteng and the Western Cape, pedestrian fatalities constitute 54%.”
Mbalula also highlighted some of the speedsters caught over the festive season, with special mention of a driver being caught being more than 16 times the legal limit for alcohol.
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