Cape Town roads claim one life every 12 hours, report shows

Cape Town’s roads claimed an average of one life every 11 hours and 40 minutes between 2021 and 2024, with pedestrians accounting for more than two-thirds of those killed, according to the City’s latest Traffic Crash Report.

The report, released on Monday and compiled by the City’s Urban Mobility Directorate, reveals that 3,007 people died in 262,225 reported road traffic crashes during the four-year period — underscoring what officials describe as a persistent and alarming road safety crisis.

Drawing from accident report forms submitted to 79 South African Police Service stations and traffic centres across the metro, the data shows that road crashes remain a daily occurrence, averaging 181 incidents a day. Fatal crashes accounted for nearly 1% of all reported cases.

“It is absolutely shocking to see how many people are killed and injured on our roads every day, and that the majority by far are pedestrians, who are extremely vulnerable in an environment where drivers often speed or don’t stop at red traffic signals,” said Councillor Rob Quintas, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility.

Pedestrians made up 68% of all fatalities, followed by drivers (14%), passengers (12%), motorcyclists (5%), and cyclists (1%).

The report also found that 76% of those killed were male, and 24% female. Additionally, 3,124 children aged between one and 14 were involved in crashes over the period under review.

Year-on-year figures show a consistently high death toll. In 2021, 739 people were killed in 56,424 crashes, rising to 779 deaths in 66,332 crashes in 2022. Fatalities peaked at 785 in 2023 before declining slightly to 704 in 2024, despite reported crashes increasing to 72,876.

Fridays were the deadliest day on the roads, followed by Tuesdays, with most crashes occurring during peak commuting times between 7am and 9am, and again between 5pm and 6pm.

Beyond the human toll, the financial impact is staggering. The City estimates that crashes cost more than R7 billion in 2024 alone, based on unit cost estimates developed by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.

Quintas said the City analyses the data annually to inform planning and policy.

“We collect and analyse the statistics yearly to assist with policy formation to improve road safety, and for transport planning studies, road safety plans and more. I invite the public to peruse the report — it is available on the City’s website and makes for sobering reading,” he said.

With increased traffic volumes over the festive season, Quintas urged all road users to exercise responsibility.

“As we gather with friends and family to celebrate, I remind all drivers that we can save lives by obeying the rules of the road and sharing the space with cyclists and motorcyclists. I also urge pedestrians to always use crossings and ensure it is safe before stepping into the road,” he said.

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