Imagine all the spectators in a packed-to-capacity FNB Stadium — and about 31,000 people gathered outside the calabash — being tragically killed by a preventable accident.
It would be an unprecedented national disaster.
It’s a scenario that brings home the grim reality of the slaughter on our roads. Africa’s largest stadium would have been too small for the more than 126,500 drivers, passengers and pedestrians killed in crashes over the past decade.
Grandparents, fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, infants, colleagues, friends and lovers. Erased.
Park that thought as we pack suitcases in preparation for religious pilgrimages and family holidays over the coming long weekend.
Easter, traditionally a time of celebration, will also be a painful occasion for the families of loved ones killed on the road this time last year — 252 people, a 37% increase from the 184 who perished in 2022.
Easter, traditionally a time of celebration, will also be a painful occasion for the families of loved ones killed on the road this time last year — 252 people, a 37% increase from the 184 who perished in 2022.
While roads in parts of the country fall into a state of disrepair, “human factors” — or driver behaviour — contributed to more than 92% of the 2023 fatalities, according to the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC).
The Automobile Association (AA) warned last year: “Road safety remains a national crisis in SA and unless government and the agencies responsible for road safety improve their approach, dire road fatality statistics will not decrease.”
It added that 126,546 people had been killed in crashes since 2013.
“Our country has a culture of driving with impunity where drivers regularly flout the law because of a lack of consequences. Speeding, drunk driving and texting while driving is commonplace because there is simply not enough law enforcement to curb it.”
How do we end the carnage? Vigorous and visible enforcement of the rules of the road 365 days a year by properly resourced traffic authorities at a national, provincial and municipal level with zero-tolerance towards bribes.
Drivers will not correct bad behaviour unless there are real consequences. Consistently.
The top “human factors” that killed 252 people over Easter 2023, says the RTMC, were “speed too high for circumstances”, “hit and run”, “jaywalking pedestrian” and “overtook in face of oncoming traffic”.
Faulty brakes and tyre bursts also contributed to last year’s death toll.
Some incidents were unavoidable. But transgressions such as overtaking on a solid barrier line, being intoxicated behind the wheel or as a pedestrian, using a cellphone while driving or following too closely — all of which contributed to the Easter carnage in 2023 — involved drivers making bad decisions.
While we trust the authorities will pull out all the stops for a safe weekend on major routes across the nation, we also have a crucial part to play.
Make the right decisions behind the wheel or on foot this weekend. Life can change in an instant.
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