The 2025 Easter Road Safety Campaign Report Outcomes

The Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy and Deputy Minister of Transport, Mkhuleko Hlengwa released the Easter Season Road Safety Report via a Live Stream video on the 29th April 2025.

The 2025 Easter Road Safety Campaign was launched on March 20, 2025, under ProjectEDWARDSA, with the involvement of civil society organizations, the private sector, public transport operators, the religious sector, and influential individuals, with a focus on the #ItBeginsWithMe campaign.

The report provided an account of the impact of the Easter Weekend road safety campaign interventions as well as road crashes and fatalities during the period. Below is an overview of the 2025 Easter Road Safety Report, as presented by Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, and Deputy Minister of Transport, Mkhuleko Hlengwa:

Decrease in Crashes and Fatalities: Easter 2025 saw the lowest number of crashes and fatalities in the last three years.
- Crashes decreased by 32.5%, from 209 in 2024 to 141 in 2025.
- Fatalities decreased by 45.6%, from 307 in 2024 to 167 in 2025.
Provincial Performance:
- Most provinces recorded decreases in both crashes and fatalities.
- Mpumalanga recorded an increase in fatalities.
- Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga recorded an increase in crashes.
Law Enforcement Efforts (17-21 April):
- 177,584 vehicles were stopped and checked.
- 44,505 traffic fines were issued.
- 2,018 vehicles were discontinued.
- 1,536 vehicles were impounded.
- 941 drivers were arrested for drunken driving.
- 89 drivers were arrested for excessive speeding.
- 12 pedestrians were arrested for jaywalking.
Key Factors Contributing to Decrease:
- Visible patrols on critical routes.
- Partnerships between civil society and government, resulting in impactful messaging.

You are also able to watch the Live Stream recording below which took place on the 29th April 2025.

We ascribe the overall decrease in both accidents and fatalities to three factors:

Widespread and consistent law enforcement operations across all nine provinces
Co-ordinated action by national, provincial and local government authorities
Significant partnerships between civil society and government resulted in significant messaging that impacted positively on driver behaviour through our “it begins with me” campaign

Minister Creecy – 29 April 2025

#ItBeginsWithMe Campaign Information

The #ItBeginsWithMe campaign is a South African government initiative, which was launched on March 20, 2025, aimed at reducing road fatalities during the 2025 Easter season, and runs until May 2, 2025.

The “‘It Begins with Me'” campaign is a road safety initiative, particularly focused on reducing fatalities during high-traffic holiday periods like Easter.. It emphasizes the individual responsibility of each driver and pedestrian in ensuring road safety. The campaign promotes responsible driving behaviours, including avoiding distractions, adhering to speed limits, taking breaks, and ensuring proper vehicle maintenance.

Key aspects of the “It Begins with Me” campaign:

Individual Responsibility:

The core message is that everyone has a role to play in making roads safer, starting with their own actions.
Targeted Messaging:

The campaign often uses specific examples of risky driving behaviours, like distracted driving or speeding, to highlight the consequences.
Collaboration and Education:

It often involves partnerships with various groups, including government agencies, civil society organizations, and the private sector, to reach a wider audience with educational materials and awareness campaigns.
Focus on High-Risk Behaviours:

The campaign may emphasize common causes of accidents, such as fatigue, impaired driving, and distractions, and provide guidance on how to mitigate these risks.
Visible Law Enforcement:

The campaign is often supported by increased police presence on key routes during the targeted period.

Click here to Listen to 702’s Bongani Bingwa interview with Transport Minister Barbara – Take responsibility on roads this Easter: ‘It begins with me’

“Even though Easter has shown an improvement in fatalities and crashes, however we still lost lives and we must always remember that these figures are more than just numbers – each statistic represents a life lost, a grieving family, or someone facing lifelong injuries. Drive Alive is fully committed to the Project EDWARD (Every Day Without A Road Death) and other seasonal Road Safety Campaigns!” – Alida Venter