This past weekend’s “wet weather” reportedly resulted in a near 50% increase in road accidents reported in the Mother City when compared to March.
This comes after the Public Emergency Communication Centre recorded 84 motor vehicle and pedestrian accidents in 48 hours. According to the City of Cape Town Safety and Security Directorate, this is a near 50% increase compared to the last ‘wet weather’ weekend in March.
The Public Emergency Communication Centre logged 1,414 incidents this weekend. 84 of them were motor vehicle and pedestrian accidents.
Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, has attributed this increase in accidents to Mother’s Day celebrations and wet weather episodes.
“Wet weather conditions demand a different driving style, patience and more importantly, ensuring that key vehicle components are in good shape, like your tyres, brakes and wipers.” added Smith
“These are things that far too many people either are not aware of, or neglect, and yet they can be the difference between life and death in poor driving conditions. Winter is fast approaching, so I appeal to everyone to please get their vehicles checked, but also to shift gears mentally for their safety and that of others,” said Smith
On the roads, Cape Town Traffic Officers made 34 arrests – 24 for driving under the influence of alcohol, two for reckless and negligent driving and eight for other offences.
READ MORE: Capetonians to be hit with a cold, wet and windy weekend
Western Cape observes UN’s Road Safety Week
The Western Cape Government says it is committed to supporting the 8th UN Global Road Safety Week, which runs from 12-18 May 2025.
The province’s pedestrians and cyclists are reportedly particularly vulnerable, making up more than half of all road traffic fatalities. According to the provincial mobility department, he persistently high number of drunk driving arrests further exacerbates the issue.
Globally, road traffic injuries are a leading cause of death and disability, with nearly 1.2 million people killed and as many as 50 million people injured each year. They are the leading cause of fatalities among young people aged 5-29 years.
“Every life lost on our roads is one too many.- We urge all road users to slow down, stay alert, and take personal responsibility for making our roads safer for everyone,” said Muneera Allie, Western Cape Mobility Department’s Head of Communication.
This year’s UN Global Road Safety Week theme, #MakeWalkingSafe and #MakeCyclingSafe, focuses on ensuring the safety of pedestrians and cyclists on our roads.
