A recent Sunday Times article reported yet another tragic accident on South African roads—a bus rolling down an embankment on the N2, killing at least nine people. At the time of writing, another bus crash on the R21 northbound had claimed 12 lives and injured 45 others, including primary school children.
Earlier this year, Minister Barbara Creecy revealed that road fatalities increased by 5.3% during the 2024/2025 festive season, with crashes up by 4.2% despite ongoing safety campaigns. She acknowledged that South Africa still has a long way to go in reducing road carnage.
As we enter the Easter festive period, MEC’s and authorities are preparing to launch another safety campaign as highlighted in the Sundays Times article, focussing on vehicle roadworthiness, public transport and adherence to speed regulations. While these measures are critical, they are simply not enough and as the statistics show, road safety is worsening.
In a context where there is a high tolerance for risk i.e. individuals are taking small risks everyday as we commute, in our homes and workplaces, how can our leaders in road safety better support South Africans to view safety as an important part of protecting themselves and what matters to them?
Shifting Mindsets: Making Safety Personal
People are more likely to adopt safe behaviours when they see them as personally meaningful. For example, a worker in a high-risk job who prioritises getting home safely to their family is more likely to follow safety procedures. In our work in safety leadership, this is key, when employees hear from their loved ones of how valued they are it provides a constant reminder of why they do what they do and why safety is so important. Similarly, road safety campaigns should emphasise the personal impact of reckless driving—reminding drivers that their choices affect the people who love and depend on them.
Awareness and Encouraging Safe Behaviour
Traffic laws exist to protect us, yet many South Africans ignore them. Flashing lights to warn of speed traps, driving unlicensed, or using unroadworthy vehicles have become normalised. Instead of relying only on penalties, authorities should explore ways to reward safe behaviour. Imagine a system where compliant public transport operators are recognised and incentivised—this could encourage a culture of safety.
Reducing Risky Behaviour
Risk-taking is part of human nature, but in safety-critical situations, it can be deadly. Stress, fatigue, and distractions increase the likelihood of poor decision making. Drivers should be encouraged to take breaks, avoid phone use, share driving responsibilities, and get enough rest. Small changes like these can prevent accidents and save lives.
A Collective Responsibility
Road safety is not just the government’s responsibility—it requires partnerships between the public and private sectors. Many industries with high-risk environments prioritise safety rigorously. It is about helping South African take ownership for their personal safety. Applying similar strategies to road safety, with shared responsibility and accountability, could help reduce fatalities.
As KZN Transport MEC Siboniso Duma put it: “We can’t afford more fatalities.” It’s time to build on our safety campaigns and embed safety as a daily value in all aspects of life.
Taegan Devar is an Industrial Psychologist and the Managing Director of Organisational Development company Fineline Consulting (www.fineline.co.za)
Fineline is an Organisational Development consultancy working across South Africa and the continent. The company focusses on leadership development, the design of self-sustaining wellness and safety programmes, Women in Mining, executive coaching, and team building. For more information contact info@fineline.co.za
