Human factors account for the majority of fatal road crashes in South Africa. Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) data shows human factors contributed 90.6% of fatal crashes in the 2023/24 period and remained high (around 84–89%) in subsequent reporting periods, including festive seasons. These factors include distracted driving, fatigue, speeding, and related behaviours.
Distracted driving, particularly cellphone use, is a leading contributor. Multiple sources, including MasterDrive and Discovery Insure analyses of insurance and telematics data, link 60% to 80% of car accidents in South Africa to some form of driver distraction. Discovery Insure research, based on more than 19 billion kilometres of driving data, found that cellphone use is the biggest single factor increasing the likelihood of an insurance claim, exceeding the impact of speeding. Clients who submitted accident claims were 52% more likely to have used their phone than to have exceeded the speed limit on the day of the accident. A mere 20 seconds of phone use per trip increases accident risk by more than 60%. One instance of mobile phone use results in approximately 52 seconds of distracted driving; at 60 km/h this equates to driving “blind” for about one kilometre and raises crash likelihood by a factor of four.
Texting while driving is reported as six times more likely to cause a crash than driving under the influence of alcohol. Approximately 25% of crashes are linked directly to cellphone use. Other common distractions include adjusting radios (admitted by 52% of drivers in accident contexts) and eating or drinking (32%). A 2025 report associates 30% of fatal crashes with distracted driving.
In the trucking sector, Webfleet Road Safety Reports provide specific collision data. In one survey covering fleets with a total of approximately 14 073 trucks, 1 252 collisions were recorded; a subsequent year recorded 1 313 collisions. Causes of collisions involving trucks were reported as: other road users 33%, distracted driving 21%, driver fatigue 12%, speeding 7%, reckless driving 7%, poor road conditions 7%, drunk driving 4%, and pedestrians 1%. Seventy-one percent of respondent companies reported involvement in road crashes over a one-year period. Many of the highest-incident periods for truck collisions fall between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
RTMC baseline data for the period 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2022 recorded 4 001 trucks and buses involved in 2 560 fatal crashes, resulting in 3 413 fatalities (average severity 1.33 fatalities per crash). This equates to more than one fatal truck or bus crash per day. KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest number of fatal truck crashes. The highest frequency of fatal truck-involved crashes occurred on Saturdays and Sundays between 18:00 and 22:00. The N3 corridor in the Harrismith SAPS area (Free State) was identified as a high-incident segment, with 44 trucks involved in 26 fatal crashes resulting in 45 fatalities.
Over a five-year period ending around 2023, RTMC data recorded 2 237 fatal truck accidents involving 3 546 trucks, averaging at least one fatal truck accident per day. More than one-third (34.8%) of truck accidents resulting in fatalities involved pedestrians.
Fatigue is closely linked to distraction and crash risk among truck drivers. A study of South African long-haul truck drivers found that three-quarters reported tiredness due to long hours (average 93 hours per week in one dataset; another reported averages around 10 hours per day, 20 days per month). Half cited insufficient sleep (average around 5.4 hours per day in earlier research). Sixty-two percent admitted to nodding off at the wheel. Falling asleep at the wheel has been implicated in 24% of heavy-vehicle road accidents in South African data from major corridors. An Interdisciplinary Accident Research Centre of KwaZulu-Natal study indicated that 39% of distracted-driving challenges among truck drivers were fatigue-related and that fatigue was the main cause in 41% of road crashes examined. Crickmay Logistics Monitoring System data indicated that 36% of total driving distance on southern and eastern African corridors was driven in a fatigued state (defined as after four or more hours of continuous driving).
Night-time accidents (typically 22:00–04:00) are nine times more severe than daytime accidents according to Discovery Insure data. Human error factors into approximately eight out of every ten road accidents nationally.
Overall national road safety figures from RTMC reports show:
- 2023: 10 180 fatal crashes resulting in 11 883 fatalities.
- 2024: 10 339 fatal crashes resulting in 12 172 fatalities (increases of 1.56% and 2.43% respectively).
- Pedestrians consistently account for around 41–45% of fatalities.
- Estimated cost of crashes rose from R205.15 billion in 2023 to R217.53 billion in 2024.
South African law prohibits the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving. Enforcement actions include fines and, in some jurisdictions such as Cape Town, device impoundment. Telematics and in-cab camera systems used by fleets detect and warn of cellphone use, failure to wear seatbelts, eating or drinking, and other distractions.
Distracted truck driver loses control after leaving the wheel at highspeed resulting in a crash pic.twitter.com/vGY5t1oBbf
— PrimeTime News (@PrimeTimeNewsZA) August 8, 2026
These figures are drawn from RTMC official reports, Webfleet industry surveys of South African fleets, Discovery Insure telematics analyses, Arrive Alive summaries, and peer-reviewed or institutional studies on truck drivers.
Police open murder case after post-mortem findings in deaths of two St Stithians teenagers at Sabie lodge
The bodies of Cameron Waldeck-Cooks, 17, a Grade 11 pupil at St Stithians Girls’ College in Johannesburg, and Ethan Coetzee, 19, who matriculated from St Stithians Boys’ College in 2025, were discovered by cleaning staff at 07:30 on Monday, 3 August 2026, at the Waterval Self-Catering Holiday Home and Round Here Guest Farm, situated 1 km outside Sabie, Mpumalanga.
Both bodies were transferred to the state mortuary in Mashishing on Monday afternoon.
Mpumalanga police initially opened an inquest docket. Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo confirmed the deaths and stated that a post-mortem examination would be conducted to establish the cause of death.
On Friday, 7 August 2026, the Office of the Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga confirmed that a murder case had been opened following post-mortem results. The findings suggested that Waldeck-Cooks may have been strangled while Coetzee may have taken his own life. Speculation of a drug overdose has not been ruled out by police.
Police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo stated: “The South African Police Service in Mpumalanga is now investigating a case of murder and an inquest following the deaths of two teenagers at a certain lodge in Sabie. An inquest docket was initially opened. However, following postmortem results, a case of murder was added. The postmortem results suggest that the 17-year-old female may have been strangled, while the 19-year-old male may have taken his own life.”
Cameron Waldeck-Cooks’ parents, Derrick Cooks and Claire Waldeck-Cooks, stated that their daughter was on a hiking trip in the Sabie district with two families on the weekend she died. She was working towards the gold level of The President’s Award for Youth Empowerment (the South African implementation of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award) and saw the trip as an opportunity to prepare for a multi-day adventurous journey.
The parents said they appointed an independent forensic pathologist whose preliminary findings indicated Cameron died as a result of strangulation and suffocation. They confirmed that police had opened a murder investigation.
In a statement the family said: “We are aware that conflicting and unverified accounts concerning the circumstances of Cameron’s death have been reported. We ask that speculation not be presented as fact while the investigation and forensic processes remain ongoing.”
They described Cameron as a deeply loved daughter, sister, family member, friend and student who was kind-hearted, warm and determined, with a quiet strength and genuine care for those around her. A memorial service will be held later in August.
St Stithians College previously paid tribute to both. Cameron was remembered as an accomplished sportswoman who excelled in rowing and netball, a natural leader and mentor, known for her kindness, warmth, determination and resilience. Ethan was described as a young man of strength, commitment and humility who received rugby colours as a first-team player, was a national champion in eventing, and supported younger students.
Investigations continue to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
Baby born in minibus taxi in Verulam CBD, KwaZulu-Natal
A 27-year-old woman gave birth to a healthy baby boy inside a minibus taxi in the Verulam central business district on Wednesday morning, 5 August 2026.
Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) received multiple calls for urgent medical assistance at approximately 10:06 after the woman went into labour while travelling in the vehicle. Paramedics and reaction officers arrived at the taxi rank on Ireland Street at 10:10. Upon arrival, they found that the mother had already delivered the baby inside the minibus taxi.
Paramedics immediately attended to both the mother and the newborn. They cut the umbilical cord and confirmed that both were stable. The mother and baby, identified as Baby Mbambo, were then transported to Osindisweni Government Hospital for further medical care.
Both the mother and Baby Mbambo were reported to be in a stable condition following the incident.
The birth occurred at the taxi rank on Ireland Street in Verulam, north of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. RUSA, a private emergency response and security organisation that operates in the area, handled the call and the on-scene medical intervention before the transfer to hospital.
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