Road Safety needs a leader in South Africa

In this edition of FleetWatch, we have a heavy concentration on safety from a number of different angles. Yeah, I know it’s all old hat stuff and that road safety is boring. After all, we all know we’re not supposed to drink and drive; that we should all keep safe following distances; that speed kills. We all know these things so enough already! Why harp on it? I agree with you. It is enough already! However, I have a few questions to ask: If we all know these road safety basics, how come then did some 15 000 people die on our roads last year? How come is it estimated in road safety circles that between 18 000 to 25 000 people will die on our roads this year? Why is it, if we’re all so clever and clued up on road safety, that Drive Alive estimates that a person is killed every 48 minutes on our roads, that 104 people sustain serious injuries per day and that 230 people per day sustain less serious injuries? How come is it that South Africa averages 620 000 crashes per year – or 1 698 per day. How come? I contend that the answer is a simple one. We just don’t have a clue about responsible road safety practices in this country, and that across the entire spectrum of road users. We also don’t have any leaders in our political ranks – and I’m talking here from all political parties, not just the ruling ANC – who have the gall or political will to take up the fight and change things for the better on this front. 

It’s now got to the point where it’s absolute mayhem out there. It’s a battlefield where blood runs thick on our streets on a daily basis. Exaggeration? Not so! Take last Sunday as an example. My son and I were driving on the N1 North on our way to the Modderfontein Golf Course where he was to play in the Northern Gauteng Open Amateur. The time was 05h45 and it was really great having the road to ourselves - far from the maddening crowd of normal highway congestion as it were. The road was wide open and user friendly with a mere smattering of vehicles out there on that fine, sunny, Sunday morning. It was ideal driving conditions. However, it wasn’t long after we joined the highway that we came across two serious accidents – one on our side of the N1 North and the other, about 2 kms further down, on the opposite N1 South. Emergency personnel were on the scene of both accidents and on passing, I’m sure I saw a body on the ground next to the one vehicle. Not too serious. After all, it’s just another body. It’s just one of the around 18 000 plus bodies that we can expect to see lying on the sides of our roads this year. From what I could see, both accidents seemed to be single vehicle accidents which means that it was either high speed or some vehicle defect such as a tyre blow-out that caused the cars to crash and roll. Of course, it could have also been some partygoers returning home after a good night out. Because of the fact that drinking and driving is socially acceptable in this country, they would have had no hesitation in getting into their cars ‘pissed’ and heading out onto the roads. I’m not saying that’s exactly what happened. I’m just guessing but I bet I’m not far off the mark. Mind you, I probably am off the mark. After all, we all know that we shouldn’t drink and drive hey?

The day before, while driving back in the afternoon from the World of Golf, we came across no less than four accidents, the first at the robots just outside the World of Golf. The other three were also at robot intersections – and we can’t blame the ‘robot mechanics’ this time round as all the robots at those four intersections were working. All four were pretty serious crashes with firemen at the one using the Jaws of Life to cut the occupants out of the smashed cars. But why, on a sunny Saturday afternoon, would there be so many accidents? After all, we all know the basics like not drinking and driving; we all know that speed kills; and, of course, we all know that we should keep safe following distances. We all know all there is to know about safe and responsible driving. Rubbish! We all know nothing! South Africans in the main are arrogant, noncaring, bombastic buffoons when it comes to responsible and safe driving. That opinion was certainly shared by the elderly gentleman who I stopped to help on the ‘Soweto’ highway last week when his car rolled after he took evasive action to stop hitting a bakkie which had cut right in front of him without looking when changing lanes. He had a bit of blood from a small cut on his hand but if he had not been wearing his seat belt, it would have been a different story. What he had to say about the driver of the bakkie is not suitable for print here. Let’s paraphrase it by him describing the driver as an "arrogant, non-caring, bombastic buffoon.’ 

Our traffic officials don’t help either. They too lack a culture of responsible enforcement practices with the result being that no-one out there respects nor fears the cops. Rather, they are the target of scorn and ridicule with dinner table conversations peppered with colourful stories of ‘how I got off by handing over a few bucks’. I was once told by a cop at a roadblock that I could drive away without a fine if I handed him R100. I was guilty of not having my driver’s license on me. I said to him. "That’s bribery you know." His reply was a simple and straight: "Yes." I jumped out my car and threatened to have him arrested. But that’s another story. Please remember one thing. If you pay a cop a bribe, you’re as guilty of bribery and corruption as he is. You too become a criminal, just as he is. What’s worse is that you are feeding and propagating a despicable criminal system. 

So where do our politicians – our esteemed leaders - fit into the picture? The answer is: They don’t! There is not one politician I can think of – from our Minister of Transport right up to our President – who has taken anywhere near the leadership role necessary to stem South Africa’s horrific road accident rate. On this point, I recall a saying: "Leadership is an activity not a position." Our ‘leaders’ are occupying the position with no activity on the road safety front. We need more than mere slogans. We need a leader who will spur all South African road-users – including pedestrians – into the adoption of a new value system towards road safety. A leader who is driven by a passion for change and improvement. What we really need is a Ministry of Road Traffic Safety driven by a leader who will gain the respect of the public through his or her determined actions rather than by the use of words and slogans. 

We need change and it’s just not coming. A total of 15 000 deaths tells me it’s a war out there on the roads. The problem is, there is no General leading the troops in a national surge of spirit to halt and win the war. Road safety needs a leader. Until we get one, the body count will go on and on. I just hope and pray that neither you nor I – or any members of our families – becomes one of those 18 000 plus lifeless and insignificant bodies that will be picked up from the sides of our cold, hard roads this year.

Patrick O'Leary
Managing Editor