FESTIVE SEASON ROAD STATS: 1,502 LIVES LOST ACROSS SA
SA – The festive season has come and gone, but the sobering statistics released by Transport Minister, Barbara Creecy on Monday 20 January 2025, serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing road safety crisis in South Africa. The report, detailing the outcomes of the 2024/2025 festive season road safety campaign, reveals an alarming increase in road fatalities and crashes, with Limpopo among the provinces experiencing a rise in deaths.
According to the preliminary data, South Africa recorded 1,502 deaths from 1,234 fatal crashes during the festive season, marking a 5.3% increase in fatalities compared to the previous year. Limpopo alone accounted for 180 fatalities from 140 fatal crashes, underscoring the urgent need for action in our province.
Minister Creecy emphasised that human behaviour remains the leading cause of road crashes, accounting for 87% of incidents. Key issues include drunken driving, speeding, reckless overtaking, and pedestrian negligence. The statistics also revealed that 41% of all road fatalities involved pedestrians, with Limpopo contributing significantly to these numbers.
Provincial statistics:
- KwaZulu-Natal: 304 fatalities from 247 fatal crashes
- Gauteng: 235 fatalities from 224 fatal crashes
- Eastern Cape: 231 fatalities from 168 fatal crashes
- Limpopo: 180 fatalities from 140 fatal crashes
- Mpumalanga: 143 fatalities from 118 fatal crashes
- Western Cape: 140 fatalities from 124 fatal crashes
- Free State: 106 fatalities from 81 fatal crashes
- North West: 100 fatalities from 87 fatal crashes
- Northern Cape: 63 fatalities from 45 fatal crashes