This is the cause of 80% of SA road accidents
South Africa has a high rate of road traffic accidents, and here are some of the leading causes…
Several factors contribute to South Africa’s high rate of traffic accidents, including human error, inadequate infrastructure, vehicle defects, and environmental conditions.
According to Stats SA, human factors, such as speeding, reckless driving, distracted driving (often due to smartphone usage), and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, are among the primary causes.
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Fatigue and lack of sleep also impair driver judgment and reaction times, increasing the likelihood of accidents.
Business Tech reported that 60% to 80% of all car accidents in South Africa are linked to some capacity, driving while distracted (DWD).
CEO of MasterDrive, Eugene Herbert, told the outlet that 60% of crashes reported amongst prominent insurers were due to DWD.
"Whether it's a child thumping the back of your car seat or a quick glance at your messaging app at the red robot, driver distraction is a significant danger on South Africa's roads," said Discovery.
"In fact, Discovery Insure's research shows that just a single instance of mobile phone usage results in about 52 seconds of distracted driving."
"This means if you’re driving at 60km/h, you’re driving 'blind' for one kilometre (and you’re four times more likely to have an accident).”
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This type of distracted driving is related to about 80% of all car crashes in some way.
A report from the South African Road Federation (SARF) also stated that using a cellphone while driving is one of the leading causes of distracted driving and could be worse than alcohol and speeding.
The International Transport Forum (ITF) reported that cellphone usage while driving affects driver competence, resulting in a 37% decrease in the parietal lobe, the part of the brain primarily responsible for language.
Here are the leading causes of road accidents in South Africa based on information from Stats SA and DSC attorneys:
- Distractions
- Drunk driving
- Speeding
- Reckless driving
- J-walking
- Weather
- Poor road conditions
- Vehicle faults
DSC attorneys also found that the common causes of road accidents among younger drivers are:
- texting while driving
- lack of experience, especially in poor road or weather conditions
- failure to use seatbelts
- being distracted by other passengers.
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