This article has been supplied.Road safety remains one of South Africa’s most pressing public safety challenges. Despite having one of the most extensive road infrastructures in the world, the country continues to experience an alarming number of road fatalities.
Over the past few years, South Africa has recorded an average of 12,000 deaths on its roads annually, approximately one fatality for every 100,000 people. This fatality rate is nearly double the global average, highlighting the urgent need for stronger road safety interventions and responsible road user behaviour.
This reality came under the spotlight during an evidence-led conversation by Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) and the South African Academy of Engineering (SAAE) – hosted by GIBB Engineering – that brought together industry leaders, researchers, engineers and media to unpack the complex relationship between road infrastructure, human behaviour, policy and public safety.
Dr Melusi Thwala, ASSAf Manager: Science Advisory and Strategic Partnerships, said the subsequent social and economic impact of such fatalities can never be fully quantified. “The destabilisation of family life, as well as the long-term and permanent health effects, which come at a high financial and mental cost, are some of the societal issues that we can overcome by reducing the number of fatalities on our roads.”
