South African road safety

South African road safety compares poorly with other countries’. We have over 800 000 accidents per year - 12 000 of them fatal - and 15 000 fatalities. These figures are among the worst in the world per capita. Over and above the tragic loss of lives, road accidents cost the South African economy close to R50 billion per year.

Many children and young people are involved in road accidents and this has prompted the Department of Transport and the Department of Education to embark on a joint effort to educate our youth about road safety. As of 2006, road safety has been included in the curriculum of primary schools. Research studies have shown that learners in schools have a limited awareness of the laws related to the carrying of passengers on motorcycles, the importance of wearing one’s seatbelt, the importance of reflective clothing and protective gear for cyclists, where cyclists should ride and why it is important to cross roads at pedestrian crossings.

Taxis are responsible for more than 10% of road accidents in South Africa. Several rapid transit projects have been put on hold after protests from the taxi industry that taxi drivers’ jobs would be in jeopardy if the projects go ahead as planned. In the meantime, Government has indicated that it wants to take over the licensing of taxi operators and regulate taxi fares. This is part of Government’s effort to overhaul the industry, which includes scrapping 150 000 taxis.

The Arrive Alive initiative seeks to promote South African road safety through an ongoing campaign of education and awareness. Its vision is "to develop an effective road safety information portal that will enhance awareness of road safety and save lives" to assist the following groups:

• Department of Transport
  
• Road users
  
• Tourists
  
• Officials at the Arrive Alive Campaign
  
• Scholars and students doing research on road safety
• Road accident victims and their families
  
• Private business in a variety of industries

• Crash Barriers
• South Africa Road Safety
• Car Accidents
• Bike Accidents
• Road Products