Kroonstad: Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has urged South Africans to take personal responsibility for reducing crashes and fatalities on the country’s roads as the 2025/26 festive season begins. The Minister officially launched the 365-day Arrive Alive Road Safety Campaign in Kroonstad, Free State, emphasizing the need for responsible behavior from every driver, passenger, and pedestrian.
According to South African Government News Agency, the theme for this year’s campaign, ‘It Starts With Me’, underscores the critical role of individual behavior in preventing road fatalities. Minister Creecy highlighted that most crashes are preventable and linked to human actions. She stressed the importance of making the right choices on the road to ensure safety during the busy festive period, when millions travel for holidays, family gatherings, and year-end celebrations.
Minister Creecy reiterated South Africa’s commitment to the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021-2030), which aims to halve global road deaths by 2030. She announced a significant milestone for 2025, noting a reduction in the road death toll by 700 people for the first time in five consecutive years. However, she cautioned that the overall numbers remained concerning, with over 9,400 fatalities already recorded this year.
The 365-day campaign is based on evidence showing that human error accounts for nine out of ten accidents. Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and Limpopo collectively account for the majority of fatal crashes. Minister Creecy pointed out that pedestrians make up more than half of all road fatalities. The campaign will focus on behavior change, enhanced law enforcement, and 24-hour patrols in high-risk areas to address these issues.
A massive public education and awareness campaign will be launched, in partnership with all levels of government and civil society. Enhanced law enforcement operations will concentrate on driver and pedestrian behavior, with increased roadblocks and checks for vehicle roadworthiness, driver licenses, seatbelt and child-restraint use, as well as cracking down on speeding and drunken driving. Priority routes identified include the N1, N2, N3, N4, N17, and notorious secondary roads like the Moloto Road.
Minister Creecy also highlighted the importance of early signs of responsible behavior from motorists. She noted that several drivers tested for alcohol use during morning operations showed zero positive results, demonstrating the desired behavior when driving.
Public passenger transport, including minibus taxis, will receive increased scrutiny, supported by partnerships with SANTACO and the NTA. Cross-border operations will focus on driver fitness, vehicle roadworthiness, overloading, and compliance with permit conditions. Inspections at waybridges across major national routes will be intensified.
The Minister emphasized the importance of public education and community involvement in reducing fatalities, highlighting that enforcement alone is insufficient. Provinces have submitted over 500 road safety education and awareness activities for the festive season, targeting various locations such as taxi ranks, bus stations, malls, churches, toll gates, rest stops, sporting events, and border posts.
Minister Creecy urged motorists to prioritize vehicle checks, rest breaks, valid licenses, seatbelts, and sober driving. Passengers are encouraged to take responsibility for their safety, while pedestrians are advised to wear visible clothing for better visibility. She emphasized that reducing road fatalities requires a united national effort involving government, civil society, faith-based organizations, emergency services, and the private sector.
