WATCH: Seat Belts Save Lives on South Africa’s Dangerous Roads

South Africa’s roads remain perilous in 2025, with road traffic injuries a leading cause of death. The World Health Organization’s 2018 Global Status Report on Road Safety recorded a death rate of 26.6 per 100,000 people in Africa, far exceeding Europe’s 9.3. In South Africa, 12,921 road deaths were reported in 2022, with collisions costing the economy R184 billion annually. Children are especially vulnerable, with road crashes among the top causes of injury-related deaths for those aged 1 to 18.

Seat belts are a proven lifesaver. They reduce fatal injury risk by up to 50% for front-seat occupants and 75% for rear-seat passengers. For children, proper restraints cut fatal injury risk by 71%. A 2023 Cape Town study found only 28% of crash victims wore seat belts, with unbelted occupants six times more likely to suffer severe injuries. All 15 fatalities in the study were unrestrained. National seat belt compliance hovers at 62%, among the lowest globally, with child restraint use in urban areas as low as 10%.

Regulation 213 of the National Road Traffic Act mandates seat belt use for all occupants, with drivers accountable for compliance. Since 2015, children under 3 must use car seats. Enforcement, however, remains lax, rated 3 out of 10 in a 2024 audit. A 2022 study in Johannesburg showed 65% of 200 crash victims wore seat belts, but 82% of the 25 fatalities were unbelted, a significant correlation.

Socioeconomic disparities persist. In low-income areas, seat belt use drops to 20%, compared to 70% in wealthier suburbs, correlating with higher injury rates. Drivers wearing seat belts increase passenger compliance by 12 times. Recent crashes underscore the urgency: a 2024 bus collision in Limpopo killed 22, most of whom were unrestrained. Unbelted occupants are 30 times more likely to be ejected, with 75% of ejections fatal.

At Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, 45% of children admitted for crash injuries in 2024 required intensive care, largely due to lack of restraints. Seat belts are the simplest, most effective way to reduce South Africa’s road death toll. Stricter enforcement and public awareness campaigns are critical to ensure compliance and save lives.