Good news about road safety in South Africa

The number of pedestrians and motorists dying on South Africa’s roads has been reduced significantly since the 2025 festive season.

This is according to preliminary data collected and analysed by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC).

The corporation’s data points towards an encouraging 13% reduction in the number of pedestrians dying on our roads compared to the first five months of 2025.

Between January and May 2026, 1,928 pedestrian fatalities were recorded, compared to the 2,214 deaths recorded over the same period last year – a decrease of 286, or 12.9%.

According to the RTMC, May was also the third time South Africa recorded a decrease in monthly pedestrian fatalities, after 358 were killed in May, compared to 390 in April.

“All provinces recorded a decrease in pedestrian fatalities between April and May, except the Free State, Limpopo and the Western Cape,” the corporation said.

“However, relative to the total number of road fatalities, pedestrians still contribute the highest portion.”

The highest percentage of pedestrian fatalities was recorded in the City of Cape Town, eThekwini, City of Joburg, Ekurhuleni, and the City of Tshwane, which accounted for 64% of the country’s pedestrian fatalities.

Law enforcement operations and road safety engagements are being stepped up across all nine provinces as the Department of Transport aims to reduce pedestrian fatalities on the road.

These campaigns aim to raise awareness about the hazards of using the road in winter, including dense fog, delayed sunrises and early sunsets, veld fires, as well as black ice and snow.

“Pedestrians are advised that they can enhance their safety by avoiding walking on highways and using pedestrian bridges when crossing busy roads,” said the RTMC.

“Wearing bright or reflective clothing also helps to improve the visibility of pedestrians when walking in fog or at night.”

South Africa’s roads are getting safer

The deadliest time to be on the road in South Africa is during the December festive season and the Easter long weekend, both of which saw reductions in road fatalities this year.

In January, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy announced that last year’s festive season was the least deadly in the past five years.

“Preliminary data indicate a 5% reduction in both fatalities and crashes for this year’s festive season, compared to the same period in the previous year,” the minister announced at the time.

During the last festive season, a total of 1,427 fatalities from 1,172 crashes were recorded, while five provinces recorded a reduction in road deaths.

While the overall road death tally decreased, four provinces recorded increases: Gauteng, the Western Cape, Mpumalanga, and the Northern Cape.

This year’s Easter weekend saw the Western Cape – a major contributor to the seasonal road death statistics – record a 14% decrease in road fatalities.

The Western Cape Mobility Department reported 19 people lost their lives on the province’s roads during the period, compared to 22 during the same period last year.

“The decrease in fatalities is an encouraging result and shows that stronger enforcement by our traffic officers and better behaviour by road users are making a difference,” said Western Cape Minister of Mobility, Isaac Sileku.

“This includes a 36.1% drop in driving under the influence of alcohol arrests, suggesting that constant visible policing is effectively discouraging risky behaviour.”

Sileku thanked the province’s residents and visitors for playing their part in keeping roads safer during the period.