Statement by Donald Grant, Minister of Transport and Public Works
The Western Cape Government’s flagship road safety initiative, Safely Home, has once again released a hard-hitting advertisement to highlight how vulnerable women and children are on our roads. This powerful message is in support of the “16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children”. The ad highlights how aggressive driving, especially speeding and particularly by males, kills and injures hundreds of women and children on Western Cape Roads every year.
The advertisement, titled #ManUpSlowDown can be viewed on YouTube using the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUSgYqfwGDo
In the last five years, 2012 – 2016, 6 581 people have been killed on Western Cape roads. This includes 1 361 drivers killed. Of all drivers killed, 88.4% were males (1 204), and 11.4% were females (156). This represents 7.7 male drivers killed for every 1 female driver. This information tells us that in fatal crashes, it is more likely to be a man behind the wheel than a woman.
While women are less likely to be behind the wheel during a fatal crash, statistics also show that a much higher proportion of women are killed as passengers. Of 1 597 passengers killed from 2012 – 2016, 41.3% were female (661) and 58.3% were male (932).
During the same period (2012 – 2016) 689 children aged 0 – 14 years were also killed on Western Cape roads.
Male drivers are also known to have a risk profile that is at least double that of women, due to their higher probability of behaving recklessly on the road. This is also why men have higher insurance premiums than women.
All of our data points to men being culpable for the vast majority of deaths and injuries on our roads, which illustrates why we are asking men specifically to man up and slow down, through this latest advertisement.
As the notoriously dangerous festive season fast approaches, we hope that all who see this powerful message will heed its warning, and be more mindful of how they conduct themselves on our roads.
Siphesihle Dube
Spokesperson to Minister of Transport and Public Works, Donald Grant
Cell: 084 233 3811
Email: Siphesihle.Dube@westerncape.gov.za