Road safety – the biggest preventable killer of young South Africans
South Africa's road deaths are among the world's highest. The factors are known, and most of them are choices made before the journey starts.
The scale of it
Road crashes kill more young South Africans than almost anything else, and the country's road death rate is among the highest in the world. Pedestrians make up a very large share — considerably higher than in most countries — which shapes what actually helps here.
The contributing factors are consistent and unglamorous: alcohol, speed, not wearing seatbelts, unsafe vehicles, pedestrians and drivers sharing space in the dark, and fatigue on long trips.
The things that most reduce risk
- Do not drink and drive, and do not get into a car with someone who has. Alcohol is involved in a large proportion of fatal crashes here. Arrange the way home before you go out, not at the end of the evening.
- Wear a seatbelt in every seat, every time, including the back. Rear-seat passengers without belts also kill the people in front of them in a crash.
- Use a proper child restraint for the child's size, in the back. A child on an adult's lap is not restrained, and in a crash the adult's weight crushes them.
- Slow down. Impact speed determines survival more than any other single variable, and a pedestrian's chance of surviving falls off a cliff above about 30 km/h.
- Do not use a phone, including hands-free — the impairment is in the attention, not the hands.
- Stop when tired on a long trip. Fatigue impairs like alcohol, and micro-sleeps happen without warning.
- Check tyres and brakes. Tyre failure at speed is a common contributor and is entirely preventable.
As a pedestrian
- Be visible after dark — light clothing, or something reflective. Most pedestrian deaths happen at night.
- Cross where drivers expect pedestrians, and make eye contact before stepping out.
- Assume you have not been seen until the vehicle actually slows.
- Alcohol is a major factor in pedestrian deaths as well as driver deaths — walking home drunk along a road is genuinely dangerous.
- Walk facing oncoming traffic where there is no pavement.
- Keep children on the inside, holding hands, and do not let them run ahead to a crossing.
At the scene of a crash
- Make the scene safe first — hazard lights, and a warning triangle well back. Secondary crashes into a scene are common.
- Call for help. Give the road, direction of travel, nearest landmark or kilometre marker, number of vehicles and number of people hurt.
- Do not move an injured person unless they are in immediate danger, such as from fire — spinal injury is the reason.
- If someone is unresponsive and not breathing normally, start CPR.
- Control heavy bleeding with firm direct pressure.
- Keep them warm and stay with them.
Common questions
- How many drinks can I have and still drive?
- The only reliable answer is none. Legal limits are lower than most people assume, impairment starts below them, and how long alcohol takes to clear varies by person. Plan the way home before you start drinking.
- Are back seat belts really necessary?
- Yes. An unbelted rear passenger becomes a projectile in a crash, seriously injuring or killing the person in the seat in front as well as themselves.
- Is hands-free phone use safe?
- Safer than holding a phone, but not safe. The impairment comes mostly from the cognitive load of the conversation, and hands-free calls measurably slow reaction times.
Sources
- Road safety guidance and national road fatality statisticsRoad Traffic Management Corporation, South Africa
- Primary Healthcare Standard Treatment Guidelines and Essential Medicines ListNational Department of Health, South Africa
Last reviewed 4 August 2026.