Road Deaths: There’s a drop in fatalities, but THIS concern remains

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has revealed that road deaths have decreased just slightly this year compared to previous years. Mbalula released the latest road statistics on Wednesday, 22 December 2021.

While this is somewhat of a positive feat, the minister has stressed that they remain worried about road accidents where multiple people die.

“Year-on-year, the number of fatalities has marginally declined by 3,1% from 848 in 2020 to 822 this year. We are seriously concerned about the high number of major crashes, where five or more people perish in a single incident,” Mbalula said.

The minister says human error remains the most common contributor to the road accidents.

“We have seen a 142% spike in crashes with multiple fatalities, resulting in 17 such crashes for far this year compared to 7 over the same period. The number of fatalities from major crashes also increased from 34 last year to 111 this year”

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula

MBALULA: MORE PASSENGERS DIED ON OUR ROADS

Further speaking on the road deaths, Fikile Mbalula revealed that passengers were the most victims, followed by pedestrians.

“Statistics reveal that people who died on our roads this year were passengers at 35% followed by pedestrians at 34%, drivers at 26% and motorcyclists at 1% and bicycle riders at 1%,” Mbalula said.

He said the vehicle types that had the most contribution to fatal crashes were minibuses, light delivery vehicles and trucks.

“Most fatal crashes happen during the early hours of the morning and early evening. Most crashes occur between Friday and Sunday,” he added.

Mbalula has also urged all motorists to adhere to the rules of the road as well as all the COVID-19 protocols. He says all drivers must remember to wear their masks and ensure that passengers are sanitised before entering their vehicles.

“During this busy periods, millions of South Africans will be on our roads travelling home to spend Christmas with loved ones, while others will be making their way to holiday destinations. I urge all motorists to behave responsibly on the road. Look out for pedestrians and exercise patience in heavy traffic. We owe it to posterity to ensure that those travelling do so safely and Arrive Alive 24/7 Waya Waya”

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula