As South Africa gears up for another Easter long weekend, we have to confront the fact that holidays see a rise in road accidents. Over the 2023 Easter period, 225 people died on the roads in 185 fatal crashes—an increase of 40% over 2022. While no figures for the number of children killed or injured over Easter specifically, the World Health Organisation Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023 indicates that road traffic injuries remain the leading cause of death for children.
“The sadness is that holidays like Easter see larger numbers of people—and particularly children—on the roads, and so what should be a time of family togetherness risks becoming a time of mourning,” says Peggie Mars, Mars, Founder of Wheel Well, an NGO providing services related to car seats, including cleaning and advice. Donated and expertly refurbished car seats are made available to parents who cannot afford to buy new ones; car seats that are no longer needed can be handed in…
