The Transport Department has reported on the road fatalities that took place over the 2020 festive season, claiming that there was a decline in the numbers compared to previous years.
Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula hosted a press conference on Friday, 22 January 2021, to detail the road fatalities that took place during the 2020 festive season. Mbalula revealed that there was a considerable decline in road fatalities, which could be attributed to the move back to Alert Level 3 restrictions in mid-December 2020, due the rising numbers in COVID-19 cases and fatalities.
The decline was noted in eight of the nine provinces, resulting in a 7 percent decline from the 2019 numbers. In 2020, there were 1 448 recorded road fatalities from the 1 210 fatal crashes that were recorded. Moreover, the posts claimed that the main causes of car crashes were “jaywalking, hit-and-run, speeding, overtaking onto oncoming traffic, wet and slippery surfaces, and tyre bursts.”
Despite the aforementioned, the department recorded a decline in pedestrian fatalities, but “driver fatalities increased from 24.2 percent to 26.9 percent, passenger fatalities increased from 32.2 percent to 34.5 percent, while cyclist fatalities stood at one percent.”
See the posts below.
Although we have recorded a decline in fatalities in 8 of the 9 Provinces, we fell short in achieving our ambitious 20% target we set for this festive season. pic.twitter.com/rIgEbEEGPb
— ANC SECRETARY GENERAL | Fikile Mbalula (@MbalulaFikile) January 22, 2021
The main cause of crashes were jaywalking, hit and run, speeding, overtaking onto oncoming traffic, wet and slippery surfaces and tyre bursts. https://t.co/tHDDTW223B
— ANC SECRETARY GENERAL | Fikile Mbalula (@MbalulaFikile) January 22, 2021
More than half (54,3%) of fatal crashes occurred on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday, suggesting that the majority of crashes took place within residential areas long after travellers had reached their destinations. pic.twitter.com/9DLfztH1jT
— ANC SECRETARY GENERAL | Fikile Mbalula (@MbalulaFikile) January 22, 2021
Sabelo Makhubo
s.makhubo@politicalanalysis.co.za
