South Africa’s road death toll will shock you!
2Oceansvibe reported that as of yesterday, the South African road death toll is standing at an astronomical figure of 11 357 for the year of 2014 so far – that is 11 357 people too many.
This high number excludes the people that have been left paralysed (a further 6 292) and others who have been injured (another 103 185).
Altogether, this country has seen 689 516 accidents on South African roads this year, and the numbers just keep on piling up.
Howard Dembovsky, the founder of Justice Project of South Africa, said the Road Traffic Management Corporation data was not correct as it relied on the SAPS to follow up on culpable homicides to get proper figures. Also, in an original move, the SAPS went and lost a few years worth of statistics after failing to back up the information. Which means stats could be even higher. “We could even have as many as 50 000 deaths on our roads a year,” he stated.
What can we do about this situation? As motorists the only thing we can do to assure our safety and the safety of others on the road is to follow simple rules.
1. Always be aware and vigilant.
2. Never drive under the influence of alcohol,
3. Always make sure your car is roadworthy.
4. Always wear your seat belt.
5. Always make sure your kids and pets are seated correctly.
6. Don’t text or take selfies while driving.
To remind you how quick an accident can occur, check out this road safety awareness video.