Road safety crisis: Saving young lives on South African roads
As South Africans prepare for the festive season, road trips, family gatherings and summer holidays, one critical issue demands attention: the alarming rise in road accidents.
The excitement of holiday homes, long drives and festive cheer often leads to a dangerous oversight: road safety.
With October being Transport Month and a rise in road accidents during the last quarter of the year, it's time to shine a light on this continuing issue that claims thousands of lives annually.
Road accidents are a heartbreaking reality in South Africa, and the statistics paint a grim picture, especially for children.
The African Brain Child (ABC) research group in Paediatric Neurosurgery at the University of Cape Town found that Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital sees around 2,000 children with head injuries every year.
Shockingly, road accidents account for nearly 80% of these severe injuries. These numbers tell a tragic story but they also give us a roadmap for action.
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are often referred to as the "silent killer" due to their long-term impact on children. ABC research revealed that of the children admitted after a severe TBI from road accidents, 96% were not wearing seatbelts.
The failure to use seatbelts or proper car safety seats is a preventable oversight, yet one that continues to put young lives at risk.
Professor Anthony Figaji, Director of African Brain Child and a leading neurosurgeon, has seen first-hand the devastating effects of road accidents on children.
“We have seen the human cost of motor vehicle accidents and TBIs in children we have not been able to save,” he said.
“We have also seen those we have been able to save, but whose lives have been permanently impacted by injury that is readily preventable with the click of a seatbelt.”
Figaji’s words highlight a crucial issue: the ripple effects of a single TBI can last a lifetime. Emerging research shows that children who suffer a TBI may face long-term inflammation that damages neurons for years, potentially leading to brain degeneration even decades later.
Road accidents are not only a concern for children. The Western Cape saw a staggering 22.6% increase in road accident deaths during the festive season last year, according to official statistics.
This surge in fatalities during the holiday season is a tragic reminder of the heightened risks on the roads as people travel long distances, often under time pressure and with less focus on safety.
With summer fast approaching, and many families planning road trips, the risk of accidents increases. This festive season, we need to be more conscious than ever about road safety—not just for ourselves, but especially for the vulnerable passengers traveling with us.
The importance of car safety seats
One of the most effective ways to reduce fatalities on the road, particularly for children, is the proper use of car safety seats. According to Arrive Alive, car safety seats reduce the risk of death by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers in passenger cars.
Despite these lifesaving statistics, many families in South Africa still travel without these essential protective devices.
The "Be Quick to Click Car Seat Drive 2024," launched by the African Brain Child initiative in partnership with Supa Quick and Wheel Well, is a powerful call to action.
This campaign, running during Transport Month in October, aims to help safeguard the lives of children by providing car safety seats to those who need them most.
For many families, especially those from lower-income households, car safety seats are a luxury they simply cannot afford. Yet, for other families, car seats sit unused, gathering dust in garages after their children have outgrown them.
The Be Quick to Click campaign provides a practical solution to this problem, offering several ways for South Africans to get involved and save lives.
Donate a car seat
If you have a car seat that’s no longer in use, you can make a difference by donating it. Unused car seats can be dropped off at any *Supa Quick* branch nationwide.
The Be Quick to Click team will clean, inspect, and certify that each seat meets safety standards before passing it on to a family in need. It's a simple way to contribute to road safety and potentially save a child's life.
Sponsor a car seat
For those who don’t have an unused car seat but still want to help, financial contributions are welcome. Donations will directly support the refurbishment and certification of used car seats, or the purchase of new ones.
This initiative allows individuals and companies to contribute to making South Africa’s roads safer for children.
Receive a car seat
On October 26, the Be Quick to Click team will hand over donated car seats to families in need at Supa Quick in Plumstead, Cape Town.
Families that require a car seat can visit between 9 am and 12 pm to receive one, ensuring that more children are protected on the roads during the festive season and beyond.