Newsletter 66 – Road accidents: Provinces show mixed record – 9 April 2010
With the Easter weekend just behind us, this week’s newsletter reviews some of the latest road accident statistics published by the Institute in the 2008/09 South Africa Survey.
Data from the Road Traffic Management Corporation shows that in 2006 there were 12 456 fatal road accidents in South Africa. In 2008 the total had declined to 10 753. In 2006 there were 15 419 total road fatalities. In 2008 this had also declined to 14 057. But this figure is still almost a rate of 40 deaths every day or one every 30 minutes.
The nine provinces have shown a mixed record:
- In 2006 fatal crashes in KwaZulu-Natal numbered 2 502. In 2008 the number dropped to 1 946 – a decrease of 22.2%. Fatalities in the province decreased from 2 970 in 2006 to 2 442 in 2008. Fatalities thus dropped by 17.8% over the three year period.
- In 2006 there were 894 fatal vehicle crashes in the Free State. These decreased in 2008 to 774, or by 13.4%. In 2006 there were 1 163 fatalities and in 2008 some 1 088 people were killed. This was a 6.4% decrease.
- In 2006 fatal crashes in Gauteng numbered 3 003. In 2008 there were 2 746 fatal crashes. This was an 8.6% decrease. In 2006 some 3 515 fatalities were recorded. In 2008 this number decreased to 3 100. Fatalities were thus down by 11.8%.
- In 2006 the Eastern Cape experienced 1 375 fatal crashes. In 2008, the number had decreased to 1 281, or by 6.8%. Fatalities in the province in 2006 numbered 1 687. In 2008 there were 1 638 people killed in road accidents. This was a decline of 2.9%.
- The North West in 2006 had 990 fatal accidents. This had decreased in 2008 to 956, or by 3.4%. Fatalities in 2006 stood at 1 257. In 2008 this was down to 1 210, a drop of 3.7%.
- In the Western Cape in 2006, some 1 358 fatal crashes occurred. In 2008 this had decreased to 1 335. This was a decline of 1.7%. In 2006 there were 1 668 fatalities in the province and in 2008 there were 1 623. This was a drop of 2.7%.
The road statistics for the Northern Cape, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga showed different trends.
- In 2006 the Northern Cape had 308 fatal car accidents. In 2008, there were 287, a decrease of 6.8%. There was however an increase in fatalities. In 2006 some 407 people were killed in road accidents. In 2008, this had risen to 414 or by 1.7%.
- In Limpopo Province In 2006, there were 1 028 fatal crashes. The number rose slightly in 2008 to 1 029 – or by 0.1%. In 2006 some 1 316 fatalities were recorded. In 2008 the number had risen to 1 388, a 5.5% increase in the three year period.
- Mpumalanga recorded the highest rise in fatal motor vehicle crashes and fatalities. In 2006 fatal crashes numbered 1 119. In 2008 they had risen to 1 223, a 9.3% increase. In 2006 there were 1 532 fatalities. This figure had risen to 1 724 in 2008, or by 12.5%.
The type of road accident that resulted in the most deaths was caused by overtaking dangerously. In 2008 there were 5 695 fatalities due to overtaking. This amounted to a 38.9% of all fatalities. In 2008 there were 5 302 fatalities due to pedestrian hit and run accidents. These made up 36.2% of all fatalities. Failure to stop or yield was the third highest cause of road fatality. In 2008 some 1 138 fatalities, or 7.8% were recorded due to drivers not stopping or yielding correctly.
Of all types of vehicles, normal motor cars are the type of vehicle most likely to be involved in fatal accidents. In 2008, 6 896 fatalities were recorded in normal motor cars. In total this amounted to 47.1% of all road accident fatalities. Fatal crashes involving bakkies contributed 19.8% to the proportion of fatalities. There were 2 897 people killed in fatal accidents in these types of vehicles. There were 302 fatalities from minibus taxi accidents, amounting to just 2.1% of the total number of people killed.
Notwithstanding the high human cost of road accidents, equally serious effects are felt by South Africa’s economy. In 2008 it was estimated that accidents on the roads cost the country R13.3 billion.
Poor road conditions, reckless drivers, and weak and corrupt traffic law enforcement all contribute to the carnage. Perhaps this information will help municipalities to aid in reducing the number of accidents.
-Catherine Schulze
by
nkgafela
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last modified
2010-04-08 14:35
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