Big spike in Western Cape road deaths every payday weekend

Road fatalities on pay-day weekends increase by almost 24 percent in the Western Cape, provincial transport MEC Donald Grant said on Thursday.

"Analysis of 2014 fatalities data indicates that fatalities on pay-day weekends spike by as much as 23.6 percent compared to other weekends," he said in a statement.

The weekend starting August 1 was the worst recorded this year, with 26 fatalities, he said. Twenty people were killed the following pay-day weekend.

"While on average, 3.6 people are killed every day on Western Cape roads, this rises to an average of 6.2 people per day over pay-day weekends."

Grant said the spike could be attributed to people having more money to travel and buy alcohol. He advised people not to use the roads after drinking alcohol, to wear seatbelts, and drive cautiously.