The South African Road Federation (SARF), an organisation dedicated to promoting safe, effective, and sustainable road networks, emphasises the vital significance of road safety and the need to lower accident rates throughout South Africa before the Easter weekend.
Although Easter is typically a time of happiness, festivity, and treasured family get-togethers, it is also marked by catastrophic accidents on South African roadways. Countless lives are lost needlessly every year as a result of avoidable collisions, careless driving, and insufficient safety precautions. Together with other top road agencies, SARF is unwavering in its commitment to stopping this alarming trend.
A grim picture is painted by the terrifying numbers from the Easter weekend of the previous year: 185 reported crashes with 225 fatalities. Remarkably, of these occurrences, pedestrians accounted for 44.4%, passengers 27.7%, and drivers 25.6%. These numbers highlight how urgently coordinated action is needed to improve road safety regulations nationwide.
The President of SARF, Miriam Ramoba, has shared grave concerns about the frequent post-Easter reports of catastrophic mishaps and emphasised that this cannot become the standard. “We cannot allow ourselves to witness annual pronouncements from the Minister of Transport concerning fatalities during this period,” Ramoba stressed.
Given the notable progress made in South Africa’s road safety domain, SARF is unwavering in its resolve to counteract this concerning development. Using innovative alliances with local municipalities, educational institutions, and law enforcement, SARF actively supports campaigns to raise public awareness of road safety. Comprehensive road safety education programmes offering various courses, from crash investigations to road safety engineering, are one aspect of these initiatives.
Another aspect of SARF’s collaborative strategy is close coordination with essential parties, such as government agencies and traffic officials. SARF and the City of Cape Town recently partnered to open the Road Safety Traffic Learner Centre in Mitchells Plain. This creative programme seeks to foster a culture of responsible driving behaviour by introducing children to safety and road rules at a young age.
SARF urges all drivers to prioritise safety, drive carefully, and strictly abide by traffic laws as the Easter holiday draws near. By promoting a shared commitment to road safety, we can work together to achieve the challenging goals outlined in the UN Global Road Safety campaign to halve road carnage by 2030.
About the South African Road Federation (SARF):
The South African Road Federation is a non-profit organisation promoting safe, efficient, and sustainable road networks.
Our mission is to reduce road fatalities, enhance infrastructure, and foster a culture of responsible road use. Learn more at SARF’s official website.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Jabu Xanti
Email: jabu@sarf.org.za
Phone: 011 394 9025