With schools closed and the holidays in full swing, the Road Accident Fund (RAF) has warned motorists to be cautious on the roads. In the 2024 festive season, the four most common motor vehicle accidents were collisions involving pedestrians, hit-and-runs, the overturning of single vehicles and head-on crashes, the RAF said. A total of 65,732 new claims were registered in the 2024/2025 period countrywide, with the Eastern Cape accounting for 12,788 of those claims.
RAF spokesperson Boniswa Matshoba said the claims included applications for compensation requests for loss of support, medical compensation, loss of earnings, general damage and funeral expenses. “Road users may face severe consequences such as brain injuries, orthopaedic trauma, paralysis or even death, if they do not prioritise safety on the roads this festive season,” Matshoba said. According to the Road Traffic Management Corporation, during the 2023/2024 holidays between December 1 and January 11, the province recorded 154 fatal crashes were recorded in the Eastern Cape, the number increased by 17 to 171.
Most of the crashes occurred in the evenings of Friday, Saturday and Sunday accounted for the most crashes. In total, 217 fatalities were recorded in the province over this period in 2023/2024 and 244 in 2024/2025. Holiday traffic volumes on the road are expected to peak on December 16.
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Matshoba said: “Roads play a crucial role in our lives; they help us move forward, connect with loved ones, create cherished memories and foster communities. “However, they can also transform from pathways of opportunity into sites of tragedy. “Motor vehicle accidents can result in injuries and fatalities, leaving victims and their families to cope with deep emotional trauma.
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