Creecy warns about holiday accident surge

Staff Reporter

Transport minister Barbara Creecy said on Friday that road deaths and fatal crashes fell by 30% in the first nine days of the festive season.

But she warned the peak holiday period remained “particularly dangerous” as traffic volumes surge.

“Since the start of the festive season on December 1, in the first 9 days, preliminary figures are recorded at 213 fatal crashes resulting in 249 fatalities. This accounts for a 30% decline for both fatal crashes and fatalities compared to the same period in 2024,” Creecy said during a road-safety briefing on the N1 Gauteng-Limpopo corridor.

The festive season road safety campaign started on 1 December and runs to 14 January.

She told reporters the N1 was among the country’s busiest routes as travellers head to holiday destinations and freight operators supply goods ahead of the 16 December public holiday.

Creecy said year-to-date figures showed an improvement in