As the 2026 Easter long weekend approaches, South Africans are preparing for the annual exodus to ancestral homes and coastal retreats. Historically, the Easter period is one of the deadliest periods, characterised by a sharp spike in traffic volumes and a corresponding rise in high-speed and alcohol-related incidents. The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) consistently identifies Easter weekend as a high-risk period, driven by human factors that account for approximately 87% of all crashes. These include speed, fatigue, reckless overtaking and driving under the influence of alcohol.
Encouragingly, recent data suggests a fragile but positive shift. According to the RTMC Easter 2025 Road Safety Report, SA recorded its lowest number of crashes and fatalities in three years over the 2025 Easter period. Fatalities dropped by 45.6%, falling from 307 in 2024 to 167 in 2025.
However, authorities warn that these gains are easily reversed. During the 2024/25 festive season, fatalities increased 6.2% year-on-year, claiming 1,502 lives. The fluctuations in these figures highlight the continued need for intensive, seasonal law enforcement that must be matched by permanent behavioural change.
“For those heading out for the Easter holidays, the pressure on national roads will be immense,” cautions RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane. “Major routes, specifically the N1 towards Limpopo and the N3 towards KwaZulu-Natal, are expected to reach critical capacity. On the N1 North, traffic is projected to peak at the Pumulani Toll Plaza, where volumes often exceed 2,000 to 3,000 vehicles per hour. This is largely driven by pilgrims travelling to the ZCC Easter gathering in Moria, often in hundreds of heavily laden passenger buses.
“Between Johannesburg and Durban, the Van Reenen’s Pass remains a notorious bottleneck. Throughput here typically hits 1,500 to 2,000 vehicles per hour during the peak Thursday and Monday windows,” Zwane says.
In response to these risks, the Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (Aware.org), a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting the responsible use of alcohol and reducing alcohol-related harm, has intensified its Never Alone campaign. The initiative moves away from traditional “shock and awe” tactics, focusing instead on the interconnectedness of road users.
We must never forget that behind every statistic is a seat saved at the table or a child waiting for a parent.
— Mokebe Thulo, CEO of Aware.org
“When we talk about drunk driving, we tend to focus on the person behind the wheel,” says Mokebe Thulo, CEO of Aware.org. “But every decision on the road affects more than one life. It affects the other drivers sharing the road, the family member waiting for your arrival home, and the communities we all belong to.”
The campaign’s philosophy is grounded in the idea that a safe arrival is a collective achievement.
“We must never forget that behind every statistic is a seat saved at the table or a child waiting for a parent. By framing road safety as a matter of communal care rather than just legal compliance, we’re aiming to trigger a psychological shift in how South Africans approach the ignition key after a social gathering,” Thulo says.
A frequently overlooked statistic is the number of pedestrian fatalities. According to the transport minister’s 2025 Easter Report, pedestrian fatalities now account for 47% — nearly half — of all road deaths.
Many of these incidents occur on local roads near social hubs which leads to people walking home in poorly lit areas. This has prompted organisations like Aware.org to emphasise that planning a journey includes the final part of the trip just as much as the long-haul highway leg.
The road home is never just a road; it’s the link between us and the people who matter most
— Mokebe Thulo, CEO of Aware.org
SA is a signatory to the UN Global Road Safety Strategy, which aims to reduce road fatalities by at least 50% by 2030. This target is mirrored in SA’s national road safety strategy. To reach this goal, the RTMC and partners like Aware.org are pivoting toward evidence-informed behaviour change. This involves launching education campaigns weeks before the travel period begins, and increasing high-visibility patrols.
In Easter 2025, over 177,500 vehicles were stopped, resulting in 941 arrests for drunk driving, according to the RTMC. It also involves encouraging travellers to use designated drivers or e-hailing services before they begin consuming alcohol.
RTMC data shows a high concentration of fatal crashes between 9pm and 6am and recommends avoiding the ‘deadly midnight’ window period. The organisation also recommends that pedestrians wear reflective clothing and stay away from the shoulder of the road.
“The road home is never just a road; it’s the link between us and the people who matter most,” says Thulo.
As the Easter weekend looms, the message from both authorities and advocacy groups is clear: the most important part of the trip isn’t the destination or the celebration — it’s the choices made before the engine starts. By choosing to leave the car behind when alcohol is involved, motorists aren’t just following the law; they are protecting the countless passengers who share the road with them.
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