The Vehicle Testing Association (VTA), a constituent association of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), has welcomed the reported five percent reduction in festive season road fatalities and crashes announced yesterday, but warns that the continued loss of more than 1 400 lives in just over a month underscores a road safety crisis that demands far stronger preventative interventions.
Preliminary data from the 2025/26 Festive Season Road Safety Campaign shows 1 427 fatalities from 1 172 crashes between 1 December 2025 and 11 January 2026 – the lowest number of crashes recorded in five years. While this represents progress, the concentration of crashes during peak festive periods and the continued loss of life highlight the need for a more holistic approach to road safety.
According to Julian Pillay, National Director of VTA, improved enforcement and awareness campaigns are important, but they cannot succeed in isolation.
“Road safety cannot rely solely on driver behaviour…
