Ben Martins, the South African transport minister, has revealed that road accidents are costing his country 34 billion USD annually. This amount accounts for 10% of GDP, squandered over medical costs, social costs and productivity losses. Using a different method, Automobilists Association (AA) report a figure of 5% of GDP swallowed up by these claims. Both estimates are well above the average value in force in developed countries, which is 2%.
Nearly 11 000 people die each year on South African roads. Approximately 40% of them are pedestrians, often drunk, moving on the road. Speeding also accounts for a large number of accidents. The State hopes to halve the number of deaths by 2020 by increasing repression.