We must buckle up and not booze to get off world's dangerous road list

South Africa is ranked as the world's most dangerous country to drive in, with a low percentage of seatbelt adherence and high number of drunk drivers on the road.

A report of The World's Safest Roads by Zutobi, an online driver education platform, said SA has 24.5 road traffic deaths per 100,000 people.

This compares with the average number of estimated road traffic deaths per 100,000 across all countries, which is 6.3 per 100,000 people.

Norway comes in first place as the world's safest country to drive. Government-funded resting stops, restrooms and viewpoints contribute to its low accident fatality rate of 1.5 per 100,000 people. Iceland and Japan round out the top three.

Despite having a highway speed limit of 120km/h, similar to safer countries like Norway, South Africa's struggles with low seatbelt usage are a major contributor to its poor road safety record. 

Only 31% of front-seat passengers in South Africa buckle up, compared to Norway's 97.8%.

“Seatbelts and child restraint systems are among the most effective measures to protect occupants of motorised vehicles from road injuries. They are designed to prevent or minimise injuries of occupants when a crash occurs.” said Zutobi.

It is compulsory for children under the age of three years to be strapped into a car seat, according to South African law, and passengers in the rear seats are also advised to use the restraints. Crash tests show seatbelts reduce fatalities in crashes by 70%. But the Automobile Association (AA) has previously raised the alarm about a general lack of adherence, estimating the seatbelt-wearing rate in the country at below 60%.

The Zutobi research also showed South Africa has the highest amount of alcohol-related road traffic deaths, at 57.5%.

The UK, USA, Malaysia and Guyana are the countries most relaxed in their legal blood alcohol concentration limit for drivers, at 0.08%. Malaysia also has the lowest amount of alcohol-related road traffic deaths, at just 0.1%.

In South Africa motorists can drive with a blood-alcohol level not higher than 0.05g per 100ml of blood, or 0.02g per 100ml for a professional driver.

If you are caught drunk driving you could be arrested and fined between R2,000 and R120,000 and/or be given a prison sentence of up six years. You may also lose your driver's licence or have it suspended, and you will have a criminal record.

Despite the penalties, authorities arrested 3,840 motorists for drunk-driving offences over the 2024/25 festive season.

Transport minister Barbara Creecy said on January 21 that at least 1,502 people had died in 1,234 fatal crashes since December 1. This represented a year-on-year increase in fatalities of 5.3% compared with the 2023/24 festive season, with a 4.2% increase in the number of crashes.

On what can be done to avoid road accidents and unnecessary road fatalities, Zutobi said drivers should be aware of the main reasons accidents occur.

“By narrowing the list down to the major reasons, drivers can also focus specifically on not making those mistakes. Major reasons include speeding, distracted driving, driving under the influence of alcohol, and lack of scanning, among other things. Government awareness campaigns can also help educate drivers to avoid these behaviours.

“Second, drivers also need to have proper knowledge of driving safety practices and the rules of the road before beginning to drive. A good way of attaining a proper foundation is by reading driving theory and doing practice tests.

“Third, drivers should also consider refreshing their knowledge every few years to remain confident and safe behind the wheel.”

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