The State of Road Safety in South Africa: Is the Country Making

Much Headway?

22 November 2011 1

INTRODUCTION

Annual road fatalities in 2009/10.

Road accidents during 2009/10 and 2010/11 festive seasons.

Measures put in place to address the carnage.

Are interventions yielding positive results?

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INTRODUCTION

World Bank – more than 1.7 million die on road crashes annually.

About 70% occur in developing countries.

Africa has the highest road injury fatality rate of all the WHO regions.

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WHAT IS THE STATE OF AFFAIRS IN SA?

SA is not immune from the state of affairs

More than 16 000 die on SA’s roads annually, costing the country more than R40 billion.

If nothing is done to curb the carnage, road crashes will be second largest cause of deaths by 2020, which is higher than HIV& AIDS & malaria put together.

Road safety strategies, but road accidents are not decreasing.

Arrive Alive Road Safety Campaign (1997).

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ARRIVE ALIVE CAMPAIGN (continues)

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The main objectives of Arrive Campaign were & still are:

o Reducing the number of road traffic accidents by 5%; compared to the same period the previous year.

o Improving road user compliance with traffic laws; and

o Forging an improved working relationship between traffic authorities at various levels of Govt.

STATUS QUO IN 2009

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From 1 Jan to 31 Dec 2009, there were 10 857 fatal crashes, translating into 0.48% over the same period in 2008.

However, the number of fatalities during the same period decreased by 107 (0.77%), from 13 875 in 2008 to 13 768 in 2009.

The driver, passenger, pedestrian fatalities constituted 29.53%, 36.49% & 33.98% respectively of all the fatalities.

The human factor contributed 82.85% to total crashes, while the vehicle factor contributed 9.13% & road & environment contributed 8.2%.

THE 2009/10 FESTIVE SEASON

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The Arrive Alive Road Safety Campaign commenced from 1 Dec 2009 to 11 Jan 2010.

According to the RTMC, 1 582 deaths (397 drivers, 637 passengers & 548 pedestrians) emanated from 1 247 fatal crashes during this period.

The highest number of fatalities was recorded on roads within cities & towns, followed by provincial & national roads.

Of the 1 582 road deaths, the provincial breakdown was as follows:

THE 2009/10 FESTIVE SEASON

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KwaZulu-Natal: 298

Gauteng: 237

Eastern Cape: 213

Limpopo: 201

Mpumalanga: 159

Western Cape: 153

Free State: 132

North West: 123

Northern Cape: 66

LAW ENFORCEMENT MEASURES

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During the 2009/10 period, law enforcement officers conducted 1 500 roadblocks throughout the country & checked more than 1.2 million vehicles and drivers.

More than 6 000 vehicles – including 536 buses & 1 699 taxis – were impounded, suspended and/or discontinued.

More than 5 900 arrests were effected, including:

o Drunk driving: 3 917o Reckless & negligent driving: 314o Excessive speed: 415o Overloading: 250o Public transport offences (taxis, buses): 246o Driving licences and false documents: 251o Pedestrians jaywalking: 218

THE 2010/11 FESTIVE PERIOD

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Between 1 Dec. 2010 & 8 Jan. 2011, 1 221 fatal crashes occurred, resulting in 1 551 fatalities.

The 3 major accidents were:

• KZN – Mtubatuba, between a minibus and midi-bus on 23 Dec 2010, with 20 fatalities.

• KZN – Utrecht, single vehicle overturned (minibus), with 11 fatalities.

The provincial breakdown of fatalities was as follows:

KZN: 232

Gauteng: 200

THE 2010/11 FESTIVE PERIOD

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EC: 169

Limpopo: 155

WC: 127

Mpumalanga: 115

NW: 98

Free State: 90

Northern Cape: 35

THE 2010/11 FESTIVE PERIOD

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The identified contributory factors were as follows:

o Speeding.

o Overtaking when not safe to do so.

o Fatigue.

o Overloading.

o Tyre burst.

LAW ENFORCEMENT IN 2010/11)

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Between 1 Dec. 2010 & 8 Jan. 2011, 415 motorists were arrested for excessive speed & these included the ff. incidents:

o On 8 Jan. 2011, a speedster was arrested for travelling at 208km/h & being 3 times over the legal alcohol limit on the N1 south near Jhb.

o On 6 Jan. 2011, a HR officer was caught speeding at 221 km/h on the N4 near Garankuwa.

o Free State, MEC for Sport, Arts & Culture, Dan Kgothule, was arrested for speeding at 235 km/h in a 120 km/h zone. He pleaded guilty & was sentenced to a fine of R20 000 in the Bloem Magistrate’s Court.

SA’s RESPONSE TO THE EPIDEMIC

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The SA Govt has committed itself to reducing road fatalities by 50% between 2007 & 2015.

Concomitant with this commitment, Govt has joined the UN’s Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 & devised an engaging & multi-pronged programme involving all organs of society with a view to arresting road deaths.

The programme includes, but not limited to:

o Finalization and implementation of SA’s National Road Safety Strategy & Action Plan for 2011 - 2020. The Strategy focuses on better utilization of human and financial resources across the spheres of Govt to address road deaths.

SA’S RESPONSE (continues)

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o Each province, district municipality and local municipality must report every month on the number of road accidents occurring in their area, what the causal factors are & how these are being addressed.

o On 15 April 2011, traffic officers who form part of SA’s first National Traffic Intervention Unit commenced duty. The Unit is deployed to high accident frequency locations & traffic hotspots across the country.

o As of May 2011, no less than 10 000 drivers are screened every month for drinking & driving.

o The new National Rolling Enforcement Plan (NREP) is vigorously enforced.

o The DoT has made amendments to the Road Traffic Act (No. 93 of 1996).

SA’S RESPONSE (continues)

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o Moreover, as of 20 Nov. 2011, driving over the prescribed speed by more than 30 km/h in an urban area and more than 40 km/h outside an urban area may result in the suspension or cancellation of one’s driving licence.

o The DoT has stated that the national roll-out of the AARTO Act (No. 46 of 1998) & the Points Demerit System will be announced in due course.

o The DoT is in discussions as regards proposals calling for the total ban on consuming alcohol whilst driving & or lowering the current legal alcohol limit, day time running lights & compulsory periodic vehicle testing.

o The DoT is strengthening partnerships with Govt, particularly with the Departments of Health, Soc. Development, Education & Police.

SA’S RESPONSE (continues)

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o The DoT is improving its data & reporting on road fatalities & injuries.

o The DoT is also embarking on a massive education and communication campaign on road safety.

o Progress is being made towards ensuring that road safety education forms part of the life skills curriculum at schools & that every Grade 11 learner will have a learner’s licence & that every 18 year old will have a driving licence.

IS THERE ANY PROGRESS?

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It is a truism that road fatalities stubbornly refuse to go away.

However, the interventions have yielded positive results & NREP is a case point.

Since its inception, the ff achievements have been registered:

o 12 984 120 vehicles & drivers were checked.

o 5 540 275 fines were issued for various traffic offences.

o 18 527 drunk drivers were arrested.

o 50 272 un-roadworthy vehicles (the majority of which were buses and

IS THERE ANY PROGRESS? (continues)

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taxis) were discontinued from use.

In August 2011 alone, more than 4 000 arrests were effected & 3 429 vehicles were discontinued from use.

In addition, from 31 August to 11 September 2011, 71 985 public transport vehicles were stopped & checked.

210 scholar transport vehicles, 47 buses, 108 mini-buses & 41 trucks were discontinued from use & 18 244 fines were issued.

More than 230 public transport drivers were arrested as follows:

IS THERE ANY PROGRESS? (continues)

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o 13 for drinking and driving.

o 10 for excessive speed.

o 8 for reckless & or negligent driving.

o 24 in connection with transport permits.

o 171 for overloading.

CONCLUSION

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Combating road fatalities is no longer Govt’s responsibility alone. An urgent mind shift is needed in order to substantially lower the fatal rates on South Africa’s roads.

All road users should take road safety very seriously & should make it a priority.

Government should continue with its campaigns, road shows & awareness programmes to educate the public about road safety.

The NB of safe road infrastructure should also not be underestimated.

Pedestrian safety should always be borne in mind when considering road safety, esp. in poorer communities where pedestrians are prevalent.

THANK YOU

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