South Africa’s road safety crisis cannot be solved by targeting reckless drivers alone. That was the overriding message from a high-level media roundtable hosted at GIBB in Houghton, where engineers, researchers, scientists and road safety experts called for a more holistic approach to reducing fatalities on the country’s roads.
The event, themed “Driving Behaviour and Road Safety in South Africa: Evidence, Policy and Behavioural Change,” was jointly organised by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) and the South African Academy of Engineering (SAAE) and brought together experts from across the transport ecosystem to discuss practical, evidence-based solutions.
Opening the discussion, Vishaal Lutchman, Group Chief Executive Officer of GIBB and an EXCO Member of the South African Academy of Engineering, emphasised the importance of bringing engineering expertise, scientific research and public dialogue together to tackle one of South Africa’s most persistent public safety challenges. The roundtable itself reflected that collaborative approach, with specialists examining how infrastructure, behaviour, technology and policy intersect to influence road safety.
In his welcoming remarks, Dr Melusi Thwala of the Academy of Science of South Africa highlighted the value of evidence-based engagement and cross-sector collaboration in addressing national challenges. The roundtable sought to create exactly that platform by bringing together experts and the media to explore practical interventions that could contribute to safer roads and informed public discourse.
(Image: Papasha Media)
One of the strongest messages from the day was that the country’s road safety challenge extends far beyond motorists. Transport researcher Busisiwe Marole highlighted that around 90% of fatal crashes involve human factors such as speeding, distraction, substance abuse, fatigue and non-compliance with traffic laws. At the same time, pedestrians account for an estimated 45% of road fatalities, making them among the most vulnerable road users.
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Marole advocated for a Safe System Approach, recognising that while human beings inevitably make mistakes, transport systems should be be designed so that those mistakes do not result in death or life-changing injuries. Safer roads, improved lighting, clearer signage and better road design all contribute to reducing risk.
From an engineering perspective, Sekadi Phayane-Shakhane, Chief Executive Officer of the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE), reminded attendees that road safety policies must reflect the daily realities of South Africans. She noted that 49% of people rely on public transport, while approximately 72% incorporate walking into their daily journeys, making pedestrians a critical group to protect through better infrastructure and planning.
She also pointed to troubling demographic trends, noting that men account for the overwhelming majority of road fatalities, with African males particularly affected. These deaths often have devastating social and economic consequences for families and communities.
Perhaps the most thought-provoking presentation came from Dr Lee Randall, founder of the Road Ethics Project, who challenged journalists to rethink the language they use when reporting on road tragedies.
She argued that the term “road accident” should be replaced with “road crash” or “collision”, explaining that an accident suggests something unavoidable when, in reality, most crashes are both predictable and preventable. Randall noted that many leading international medical journals abandoned the term years ago for precisely this reason.
She further encouraged the media to embrace solutions-focused journalism by asking not only who was responsible for a crash, but why it happened and what can be done to prevent similar tragedies. Instead of reporting isolated incidents, she called for deeper investigations into the systemic issues that contribute to unsafe roads, including economic pressures, infrastructure shortcomings, enforcement failures and regulatory gaps.
Drawing on her research into the minibus taxi industry, Randall argued that risky driving behaviour often stems from broader structural pressures rather than individual choices alone. She also urged journalists to continue following major crash stories after the headlines fade, helping the public understand investigations, policy responses and lessons learned.
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In one of the day’s most memorable observations, she described South Africa’s transport environment as “crashogenic” a system whose design and conditions create circumstances in which crashes become far more likely. Her message was clear: if the system produces predictable harm, then changing the system can save lives.
The roundtable also showcased emerging technologies such as eye-tracking systems that can detect driver distraction and drowsiness, while Mathabo Masegela from Roads Agency Limpopo highlighted the importance of strategic infrastructure planning and data-driven decision-making in improving road safety outcomes.
The collective message from the speakers was unmistakable. Safer roads will require more than stricter policing. They demand better engineering, stronger policy, smarter infrastructure, ethical responsibility, innovative technology and informed public engagement.
For journalists in attendance, Dr Randall’s closing challenge perhaps captured the spirit of the event best: change the conversation. Stop treating crashes as inevitable accidents, dig deeper into their causes and help create a culture where evidence, accountability and prevention take centre stage.
