Road Deaths in the Province on the Rise

While the Province continues to record a downward trend in road deaths, a mid-year review of the deaths has shown that the rate at which they are decreasing in 2013 is at its lowest compared to other years.

“With 2008 as the base year, fatalities had gone down by 9% in 2009, compared to the previous year for the first six months; 4% in 2010 compared to 2009; 9% in 2011 compared to 2010; and 12% in 2012 compared to 2011.

“This year, road deaths have only decreased by 1% compared to the first six months of 2012. Cumulatively over the last 12 months, deaths have decreased by 28% (from 1 739 in January 2009 to 1 250 for the past 12 months), a slight set-back from the 30% reduction achieved in February this year.

"Our fatality statistics show that a large percentage of road deaths in the Province occur during the weekend, where the deadly effects of drink driving are clearly felt. There can be no doubt that the absence of Breathalysers and the removal of our right to Name and Shame are substantially increasing the number of drunken drivers on the road and the road deaths are rising with them,” said Robin Carlisle, Minister of Transport and Public Works.

Minister Carlisle is involved in a dispute with Minister of Justice Jeff Radebe for the reinstating of the Name and Shame campaign. The campaign saw drink driving arrests decrease from an average of 60 arrests per weekend, to 25 arrests, a situation that is now being reversed.  

March saw the loss of 132 lives on our roads, the highest figure for any month so far this year.

“The number of deaths per 100 000 of the population in the Western Cape (WC population averaging at 5.3 million from 2008 till 2012) has gone down from 33.05 in 2008 to 23.80 currently.

“The national rate has been reported as being at 33 deaths per 100 000 of the population and rising according to the 2009 Global Status Report on Road Safety. This is an unacceptable situation that the Western Cape Government and Safely Home are working tirelessly to improve,” added Minister Carlisle. 

“Pedestrians remain the hardest hit by this scourge, followed very closely by those inside a vehicle, namely drivers and passengers.

“We will soon be launching an extensive multimedia campaign focussing on seatbelt and restraint awareness as buckling-up alone will undoubtedly see the number of driver and passenger deaths decrease dramatically,” added Minister Carlisle.

 * (Statistics are from Statistics South Africa, Mid-Year Population Estimates 2008-2011, and Safely Home)