Buckle Up: Stats Reveal SA’s Road Carnage

Posted by Hippo on 11 July 2024

Two vehicles collided in a traffic accident on a South African highway

For something most people do almost every day, being on the road is pretty dangerous. Around 1.19 million people around the world are killed in fatal crashes each year and between 20 and 50 million are seriously injured.

In South Africa, 10,180 people died on the road in 2023, with 1,427 fatal accidents over the festive season alone. Worse, that number obviously doesn’t include the fender benders that drivers don’t feel the need to tell authorities about.

With so many incidents, it’s probably unsurprising that South Africa’s roads are rated as some of the most dangerous in the world. Our road fatality rate in 2023 sits at 19.39 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, well above the global rate of 15.

Whether you’re a driver, passenger, or even a pedestrian, there’s a big possibility that you’ll be involved in a road accident at some time or another.

All of this becomes a lot scarier when you consider that only around 35% of cars on the road are insured. And that just 17.4% and 10% of South Africans have medical aid and life insurance, respectively.

With little-to-no protection for their vehicles or themselves, South Africans risk the potentially devastating consequences of road accidents every time they travel to work, school, or even just quickly pop out to the shops.

Quick Road Safety Statistics for South Africa

Before we get into the nitty gritty of how we got to where we are today, let’s look at the 2023 road safety stats we have for South Africa:

infographic from road traffic management corporation illustrating a car crash and road safety statistics in south africa

Source: Road Traffic Management Corporation: State of Road Safety in South Africa, January 2023 to December 2023

Although these statistics paint a less-than-pretty picture for road safety in South Africa, we can’t look at them in isolation. An important part of understanding the situation is to look at how outcomes have changed over the years.

One of the most shocking statistics is the number of vehicles that are either unroadworthy, unlicensed, or both, that are driving around on our roads. Unfortunately, we only have 2017 statistics for this, but it’s estimated that 1 million vehicles on our roads are unroadworthy.

How To Stay Safe on the Road

Now that you know South Africa’s road safety statistics, it’s time for Hippo’s top tips for staying safe out there.

Keep your ride in tip-top condition by taking it for regular services to keep it well maintained and remember to go for quality parts approved for your vehicle, even if they cost a little extra.

Additionally, obey the laws of the road—buckle up, use child and booster seats for young passengers, stick to the speed limit, don’t overload your vehicle, and keep a safe following distance.

Moreover, we know that peak times like the Easter weekend and December holidays are some of the most dangerous on South African roads. That’s because there are loads more people travelling across the country. Here are a couple of additional suggestions for longer trips:

Avoid driving during busy seasons and days (like the Friday of a long weekend).
Schedule plenty of stops to stretch and stay alert.
Pull over for a nap if you're drowsy. Don't push yourself!
Never drink and drive. It's not worth the risk. Use a ride-hailing service or choose a designated driver.