Some useful statistics from the Road Traffic Management Corporation has revealed which roads are the most dangerous to drive on in South Africa. Take a look!
South Africa’s road death statistics are nothing short of alarming. The stats for 2017 are yet to be released, but what we know from 2016 is that 14 071 people died that year. This was a 9% increase from 2015 and the highest annual road death toll since 2007. The festive season is always the time to be more vigilant as there is an increase in road users. The 2017/2018 statistics show that 1 527 people died on our roads over this period.
Why are the numbers so high? And why are they increasing year-on-year? According to the Automobile Association of South Africa (AA), it's the behaviour of road users that contribute to these fatalities. But there are certain roads where users need to be extra vigilant and adjust driver behaviour to avoid becoming a statistic.
According to the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), the 20 most dangerous roads in South Africa, based on where the fatal crashes take place, are:
1. N2 – East London, Umtata
2. N2 – Umtata, Kokstad
3. N1 – Mokopane, Polokwane
4. N1 – Polokwane, Makhado
5. N4 – Middleberg, Belfast
6. N2 – Durban, Tongaat
7. N12 – Springs, Witbank
8. R573 – Pretoria, Kwamhlanga
9. N1 – Nabommspruit, Mokopane
10. R71 – Polokwane, Tzaneen
11. R40 – Hazyview, Hoedspruit
12. R61 – Port St Johns, Bizana
13. N2 – Cape Town, Somerset West
14. N2 – King Williams Town, East London
15. R61 – Queenstown, Umtata
16. N3 – Warden, Villiers
17. N4 – Waterval Boven, Nelspruit
18. R573 – Moloto Road
19. N14 – Coligny, Biesiesvlei
20. N17 – Leandra, Ermelo
Something to bear in mind, according to this same report, most accidents occur in the evenings between 19:00 and 20:00 whereas fewer accidents occur between 04:00 and 05:00 or between 9:00 and 10:00 when most drivers are already at work.
As mentioned, road user behaviour is the main cause for the high number of fatalities and this is because far too many drivers continue to disregard selected laws and road rules. Using mobile phones while driving and driving under the influence of alcohol are a significant contributor to road accidents. Speeding is another major cause as is impatience, causing drivers to make rash decisions and misjudge road manoeuvres.
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