South Africa road safety warnings issued ahead of payday weekend

The Motor Industry Staff Association (Misa) has issued a warning to South African motorists to avoid drunk driving during the upcoming payday weekend. The alert follows concerns that increased alcohol consumption during this period leads to higher rates of road accidents and law enforcement activity.

Simon Zwane, spokesperson for the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), noted that alcohol is a factor in more than 27% of fatal crashes. South Africa sees approximately 12,000 road deaths annually, with pedestrians accounting for more than half of those fatalities. Between March and August of this year, over 18,000 people were arrested for drunk driving, and alcohol-related offenses represented about one-third of all traffic arrests.

Data from the World Health Organization indicates that South Africans who consume alcohol drink an average of 29.9 liters of pure alcohol annually, one of the highest rates globally. The RTMC plans to use data on high alcohol consumption areas to direct roadblocks and patrols to potential hotspots.