Cape Town roads claimed more than 3,000 lives in 4 years, most of them pedestrians: study

Cape Town’s roads claim one death every 11 hours and 40 minutes, with 68% of the deceased being pedestrians.

This is according to the city’s urban mobility directorate, which has released its traffic crash report providing statistics from 2021 to 2024.

Based on accident report forms provided by Cape Town’s 79 police stations and traffic centres, 3,007 people were killed in 262,225 traffic crashes over the four-year period, averaging two deaths every 24 hours.

“It is shocking to see how many people are killed and injured on our roads every day, and most by far are pedestrians who are vulnerable in an environment where drivers often speed or don’t stop at red traffic signals,” said urban mobility MMC Rob Quintas.

“We collect and analyse the statistics yearly to assist us with policy formation to improve road safety and for traffic and transport planning studies, road safety plans and so forth. I invite the public to peruse the report. It is available on the city’s website and makes for sombre reading.”

As we are gathering with friends and family to celebrate this festive season, I remind drivers that we can save lives and avoid traffic crashes by keeping to the rules of the road and sharing the roads with other users such as cyclists and motorcyclists

—  Rob Quintas, Cape Town urban mobility MMC

The report reveals the following breakdown of crashes per year:

• in 2021, 739 people were killed in 56,424 crashes, with 8,358 injured;
• in 2022, 779 people were killed in 66,332 crashes and 14,049 were injured;
• in 2023, 785 people were killed in 66,593 crashes and 11,750 were injured; and
• in 2024, 704 people were killed in 72,876 crashes and 15,145 were injured.

It also reveals:

• 24% of all persons killed were female and 76% male;
• 3,124 children between the ages of one and 14 were involved in these crashes;
• on average, 181 traffic crashes happened every day; and
• fatal crashes accounted for nearly 1% of all reported cases.

Of the total number of people killed in crashes, the report shows:

• 68% were pedestrians;
• 14% were drivers;
• 12% were passengers.
• 5% were motorcyclists; and
• 1% were cyclists.

Quintas said Friday was the worst day for crashes, followed by Tuesday, with most crashes happening during the morning peak (7am-9am) and evening peak (5pm-6pm).

The annual cost of the crashes was estimated to be more than R7bn for 2024 only.

“As we are gathering with friends and family to celebrate this festive season, I remind drivers that we can save lives and avoid traffic crashes by keeping to the rules of the road and sharing the roads with other users such as cyclists and motorcyclists,” said Quintas.

“I also urge pedestrians to use pedestrian crossings and to make sure it is safe to cross before doing so.”