While the US battles soaring road deaths, Canada achieved an 18% decline through comprehensive safety policies. Could South Africa replicate this success?
New research from the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safet (IIHS)y reveals a striking contrast: between 2011 and 2021, US road fatalities jumped 33% to 43 230 deaths, while Canada reduced deaths by 18% to 1 776 by 2020 - despite greater population growth and increased vehicle usage.
Canada's success stems from "overlapping layers of protection": comprehensive mobile phone bans, stricter seatbelt enforcement, and extensive speed camera networks under their Safe System framework, ensuring no single error proves fatal.
With approximately 14 000 annual road deaths (25 per 100 000 people versus Canada's 5 per 100 000), South Africa faces similar challenges Canada has conquered: distracted driving, poor seatbelt compliance, speeding, and drunk driving.
Canadian strategies show particular promise for South Africa. Canada reduced pedestrian and cyclist deaths by 17% while the USA saw 64% increases - crucial given South Africa's high number of vulnerable road users. Canada also achieved a 52% reduction in young driver fatalities through graduated licensing and stricter enforcement.
Most significantly, Canadian provinces impose administrative penalties for blood alcohol levels between 0.05-0.08%. Police can conduct roadside breath tests without suspicion, with refusal constituting a criminal offense. These measures could transform South Africa's drunk driving crisis.
South Africa faces implementation challenges: limited resources, vast rural coverage needs, and infrastructure gaps requiring substantial investment in enforcement capabilities and speed camera networks. However, statistical modelling suggests even partial implementation could prevent thousands of annual deaths.
Canada's achievement proves comprehensive road safety policies work across different contexts. The countries share similar challenges and cultural factors suggesting policy transferability. Canada's model provides a proven blueprint combining technology, enforcement, and education.
The critical question is not whether these measures could work – it is whether South Africa possesses the political will to implement them comprehensively. With proper implementation, South Africa could join Canada in bucking the global trend of rising road deaths, transforming statistics into saved lives.
South Africa's premium automotive sector has experienced unprecedented consolidation over the last two years, with multiple luxury brands restructuring their dealership networks in response to declining sales, economic pressures, and shifting consumer preferences.
Almost every dealership has them – listings that sit quietly in the background, gathering cobwebs. Despite looking good on paper, some used vehicles attract minimal buyer attention and quietly chip away potential revenue. But what if those slow movers weren’t dead ends, but missed opportunities waiting for the right tweak?
President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed strong confidence in South Africa's automotive industry, stating it is making crucial investments to build resilience and lead the transition to green mobility despite mounting global pressures.
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I have bad reflexes. I was once run over by a car being pushed by two guys
Woody Allen
President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed strong confidence in South Africa's automotive industry, stating it is making crucial investments to build resilience and lead the transition to green mobility despite mounting global pressures.
South Africa is scrambling to protect its economy after USA’s President Donald Trump signed sweeping tariff measures targeting the country's key exports, potentially putting 100 000 jobs at risk, reported Reuters on 1 August.
Vehicle exports to the US – South Africa’s second-largest trading partner and a key destination for locally manufactured premium models – have plummeted by 82.2% in the first half of the year compared to the first half of 2024.
