safelyhome.westerncape.gov.za

http://youtu.be/2XpYTfHRo8I (Pedestrian Crash Witness Video direct link)

582 Pedestrians were killed in the Western Cape last year, making up close to half of the road death toll for the province.

Over the years, Safely Home’s Crash Witness video campaign has captured the tragic consequences when pedestrians walk on freeways. Often pedestrians are intoxicated when they do so.

Pedestrian road deaths statistics:

·        582 pedestrians were killed on Western Cape roads in 2013.

·        By 23 October, 448 pedestrians had been killed in 2014.

·        Pedestrians made up 44% of this year’s death toll so far.

·        Most pedestrians are killed in 60 zones.

·        Poorer communities are disproportionately represented.

·        Black males, aged 20 – 34, are the highest risk demographic.

Freeway hotspots:

·        N1 from Brackenfell to Joostenberg Vlakte,

·        N2 from Cape Town International Airport to Spine Rd,

·        N7 adjacent to Du Noon,

·        Vanguard Drive from Masemola Rd to the R300,

·        R300 from Vanguard Drive to the N2,

Mabunda et al’s 2007 Research found that:

Alcohol was present in 58% of pedestrian fatalities where blood was tested.

Alcohol was present in 90% of male pedestrians killed at night.

Pedestrian fatalities are most common between 6pm and midnight.

Pedestrian fatalities increase through the course of the week, peaking on Saturday nights and in the early hours of Sunday morning.

I urge all pedestrians to stay off the freeways and all busy roads, especially at night and after consuming alcohol. Always wear high visibility clothing, particularly in the evening and in bad weather, and walk in groups whenever possible.

I urge all motorists to display consideration for pedestrians, even those who are on the freeways illegally. Pedestrians are almost always killed in collisions with vehicles travelling more than 60kph. Slowing down will give you more time to react to pedestrians in the road, and means that, should a collision occur, you will have a far greater chance of braking to a survivable speed. Walking on the freeway is illegal, but it does not deserve the death sentence.

About Crash Witness:

Crash Witness is the video element of the Safely Home road safety awareness programme. Crash Witness uses real CCTV footage of crashes on the provincial road network to educate the public about the tragic consequences of irresponsible road user behaviour. Safely Home makes all reasonable effort to trace the next of kin of deceased persons who appear in the videos and request their consent. Safely Home removes any video which is the subject of a complaint from the public.

Crash Witness has had over 500,000 views on YouTube and approximately 200,000 views on other platforms.