The recently released WHO Global Status Report on Road Safety 2018 has brought road safety once again under the spotlight and is a timely reminder of the enormous task at hand. As we go into the festive season, a particularly deadly period in South Africa with regard to road traffic deaths and injuries which tend to spike around this period we are reminded that we need to do more, perhaps even relook our whole approach to road safety in order to save lives. Without a doubt, the report highlights that the road death toll has not decreased and therefore suggest that we are not doing nearly enough in our attempts to curb the carnage that is currently obtaining on our roads.
According to the Global Status Report, the number of people who die on the roads annually across the world now stands at 1,35 million. Furthermore, the report says road traffic injuries remain the single biggest killer of youth aged 15-29 and more remarkably that they are now also the leading killer of those aged 5-14 years (previously they were ONLY the second leading cause of death among the latter age group). In line with previous reports, over 90% of the world’s fatalities on the roads occur in low-income and middle-income countries, which have however have only 48% of the world’s vehicles[1]. There is therefore huge inequalities with regard to the burden of road traffic deaths and it is in countries like South Africa where concerted efforts are required if we are to reduce the scourge of road traffic deaths and the time to start with these efforts is NOW.
While fully acknowledging that road safety should be a year-round endeavour, a fact also fully acknowledged by the National Department of Transport (NDoT) through it’s a 365 days road safety campaign; the inescapable fact is that the festive season is a particularly dangerous period. For instance, the road death toll for the 2017/18 festive season was a staggering 1 527. This certainly makes for grim reading and is reason enough for us to act, individually and collectively so that come the release of this festive season figures in early 2019; the picture would have improved. One can only hope!
Considering the high death toll the NDoT and the respective provincial transport departments have already launched their 2018/19 festive season road safety campaigns. However, this is solely to reinforce the road safety message because in my opinion, the causes for the fatal collisions are well-known and preventable. These include (but are not limited to) speeding, drunk-driving, none-use of seatbelts/car restraints, dangerous overtaking, unroadworthy vehicles and unlicensed drivers. As we embark on our journeys for the festive season we need to avoid the temptation to engage in any of these deadly activities.
While law enforcement will be out in full force, the fundamental thing to remember that road safety starts with us as individuals. Law enforcement officers cannot man every street and every kilometre of our highways. The onus is upon us as individuals to police ourselves by ensuring that we avoid transgressing road safety laws and simply doing the right thing. In this regard, there is no shortage of information and road safety tips. For example, the ArriveArrive website contains lots of useful tips for safe travel during the festive season[2] .
As stated in the preface of the WHO Global status report, prevention is by far the better option. Do not be a statistic this festive season. Resist the temptation to engage in activities that violate the law or put your life or indeed that of other road users in danger. Share and use the road responsibly. We wish you all a safe festive season!
Travel safely!
Notes
[1] https://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/road_safety_status/report/en/
[2] https://www.arrivealive.mobi/road-safety-tips-for-the-festive-season-from-arrivealivecoza
