Hi Folks…

Statistics are of
course something we can’t do without – that said, some are so frightening
that  we  could possibly wish they weren’t as indelibly imprinted on
our brain, such  is the case  with road fatalities in South Africa.

The realities of what a
WHO report shows should however be seen in the context of the season we are
moving into - parties and the endless of repertoire of functions celebrating
(or commiserating) the year’s results – which result in over indulgence in
alcohol.

According to WHO (World
Health Organization) South Africa has more drunk-driving related deaths than
anywhere else in the world?

This is according to
the latest Global Status report on Road Safety for 2015, whose report covers
180 countries across the globe, noting that total road traffic deaths amounted
to 1.25 million per year, as at 2013.

The highest number of
road traffic fatalities were recorded in low-income countries (24.1% of all
deaths), the group said, and is the number one cause of death among people aged
15-29 years olds the world over.

Shockingly, you have a
26.6% chance of dying in a road accident in Africa, with the next most
dangerous region being the Eastern Mediterranean, where you have 19.9% chance
of being killed on the road, the WHO said. 

South African roads

South Africa remains as
one of the more dangerous countries for road safety, with Time Magazine (
August 2015) reporting  the death rate of 31.9 / 100K second only to the
Dominican Republic  which scores a 41.7 / 100K

Trends in road deaths

Alarmingly, the WHO
noted that South Africa has the highest rate of alcohol-related road deaths,
where as much as 58% of deaths can be attributed to alcohol consumption.

Of 180 countries
covered in the report, only 95 provide data on the proportion of deaths
attributable to alcohol abuse.

These countries have
proportions that range from less than 1% of deaths in Costa Rica and Oman, to
the 58% ceiling in South Africa (excluding countries with small populations
which distort the data).

While South Africa has
national laws to combat drunk driving, the country only scores 4 out of 10 in
its capacity to enforce them.

Speed limit enforcement
scores 3 out of 10, and seat-belt laws score even worse in terms of
enforcement: 2 out of 10.

The WHO estimates that
7.8% of South Africa’s GDP is lost due to crashes on the country’s roads.

Till next time - Drive
Safe and remember - Don’t Drink and Drive, Rather reconsider.

Eugene Herbert