…Researched and contributed by Solomon Thomas.
Over the four-day Easter long weekend, 225 people lost their lives in 185 accidents on South Africa’s roads, indicating a worrying 40% increase in fatalities from the 161 deaths recorded over the same period last year.
Minister of Transport Sindisiwe Chikunga stated that fatalities increased in all provinces, except for Mpumalanga, Western Cape, and North West, and expressed congratulations to those provinces.
Pedestrians made up 44.4% of those killed, followed by passengers at 27.7%, drivers at 25.6%, and cyclists at 1.3%.
The increase in road deaths has been described by the Automobile Association as “horrific” and indicative of a lack of proper road safety intervention and implementation by the government and responsible agencies.
Commentary:
The rise in road fatalities during the Easter long weekend is a grave concern that must be addressed.
The majority of the victims were pedestrians, emphasizing the need for more road safety campaigns to educate pedestrians about road safety.
This situation highlights the need for a proactive approach to road safety, including effective intervention by the government and concerned agencies.
The government needs to ensure sustained visibility on the roads through the classification of traffic policing as an essential service of a 7-day, 24-hour job across the country.
The government also needs to implement measures that will prevent reckless driving, such as installing speed cameras and increasing fines for traffic offences.
It is vital to have an effective road safety system to prevent future accidents and fatalities.