ABERDEEN NEWS - Novel safety awareness campaigns over the Easter period, from 29 March to 1 April, have significantly improved attitudes and behaviour towards road safety in the Eastern Cape.
Initiated by the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (Sanral) in its Southern Region, these initiatives introduced unique strategies such as roadside massages and 360-degree photo booths to captivate younger motorists.
South Africa ranks among the highest in road crash fatality rates globally.
A report by Statistics South Africa, titled 'Road Transport Accident Deaths in South Africa, 2007-2019,' highlighted an increase in fatalities from 6 556 in 2015 to 6 652 in 2016, despite the country's commitment to the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
This agenda includes a target to halve global deaths and injuries from road accidents by 2030.
Sanral's efforts align with the Safe Systems approach to road safety, focusing on creating safer road infrastructure and implementing educational and awareness programmes.
These initiatives also resonated with Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga's message during the 2024 National Easter Road Safety Campaign launch in Mpumalanga, where she stressed that road safety is a daily responsibility for all South Africans.
Locals comment
The Eastern Cape campaign extended to smaller towns like Aberdeen. Motorists passing through rural areas were encouraged to pull over, enjoy massages, and interact with campaign representatives. A jumping castle for children added extra fun and made the initiative memorable for travellers.
Jeremiah Goeda, his father Floors, and friend Hans Vaaltyn, travelling from Hofmeyr to Bredasdorp in the Western Cape, praised the campaign.
"The roads in the Eastern Cape were very bad but they are getting better. We are pleased to see that Sanral is moving South Africa forward," said Goeda. His father noted it was the first time he had seen roadside massages, a service that Vaaltyn, a truck driver, found particularly valuable.
Aberdeen local Xavier de Beer also appreciated the massage service, pointing out the need for such initiatives in a town plagued by potholes. Since taking office, Sanral CEO Reginald Demana has emphasised the importance of focusing on younger road users, particularly regarding road safety, drinking and driving, and pedestrian behaviour.
Drawing inspiration from countries like Canada, Ireland and Spain, Demana advocates for policies such as requiring young motorists to gain driving experience before driving alone and implementing time limits on road usage.
Photo booth education
The 2023/24 festive season road traffic statistics revealed that most of the fatalities in the 1 427 crashes occurred among individuals aged 25 to 44. Addressing this demographic, Sanral's Southern Region office installed a 360-degree photo booth at the Ginchella gin festival in Gqeberha, engaging young people in a festive setting. The booth was a hit, with many partygoers discussing their transportation plans when consuming alcohol.
Boleng Mosaung mentioned that she and her friends always use rideshare services for nights out, leaving their own vehicles at home. Andrew Gama shared a similar approach, using Uber for parties. Tony Tango highlighted the importance of raising awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving.
School curriculum
To instill road safety from a young age, Transport Minister Chikunga announced a collaboration with the Department of Basic Education to include road safety education in the school curriculum. This initiative aims to create a culture of road vigilance among future generations.
Overall, Sanral's innovative campaigns during the Easter period have shown promising results, demonstrating the agency's commitment to improving road safety across South Africa.
‘Ons bring jou die nuutste Tuinroete, Hessequa, Karoo nuus’
