Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula will this morning release the 2022/2023 festive season road traffic statistics.

He is also expected to give feedback on the efforts by authorities to stabilise and reduce road crashes involving heavy-duty vehicles on hotspot routes.

During the 2021-22 festive period, more than 1 600 road deaths were recorded.

This was a 14% increase from the previous year.

Road fatalities increased in seven provinces and declined in two.

The Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal recorded the decline, while the Northern Cape and Western Cape recorded the highest percentage increases in fatalities.

Driving under the influence of alcohol, failure to wear a seatbelt, excessive speeding, disregarding road conditions and signs were some of the factors that contributed to fatalities on the roads.

Source: SABC News