Johannesburg: Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy has urged South Africans travelling during the Easter holidays to use the roads responsibly and show respect to all road users. The Easter holidays are marked by an increase in traffic on major corridors as travellers embark on various religious and holiday destinations. Studies show that over 80% of road crashes are the direct result of human behaviour.
According to South African Government News Agency, Minister Creecy emphasized the importance of personal accountability in her address at the recent launch of the 2026 Arrive Alive Easter Road Safety Campaign under the theme: ‘It Begins With Me’. She called on every driver, passenger, and pedestrian to take ownership of their conduct, advising those undertaking long-distance journeys to stagger travel times to avoid peak congestion and to stop every two hours to combat fatigue. Pedestrians were urged to be visible and avoid crossing major highways while under the influence.
The campaign will focus on preventing pedestrians from crossing and walking on highways, with increased patrols in entertainment areas near highways to prevent inebriated pedestrians from running across major roads. Creecy noted that pedestrians currently account for almost half of all road deaths. Traffic authorities will deploy students to patrol critical pedestrian locations, ensuring they do not return home during the campaign.
Law enforcement will be visible in accident-prone areas, supported by the communities and the South African Police Service (SAPS). The transport industry and motorists have been encouraged to ensure vehicle roadworthiness, with immediate impoundment for vehicles with defective brakes, smooth tyres, or steering faults.
Minister Creecy also highlighted the ongoing focus on drunken driving and the pursuit of legislative amendments to Section 65 of the National Road Traffic Act to tighten restrictions. High-risk routes, including the N1, N2, N3, and N4, will experience increased traffic policing with mobile and static checkpoints, along with the deployment of the National Traffic Police.
The Minister urged the Cross-Border Road Transport Agency to intensify monitoring and enforcement along key corridors to ensure compliance with permit conditions, regulatory requirements, and to prevent overloading of freight and passengers. Priority will also be given to vehicle roadworthiness, fatigue management, and clamping down on illegal operations and non-compliance.