If you can drive in Johannesburg you can drive anywhere. Then again, that’s what every city says. But, in South Africa, dodging taxis and pedestrians is a daily car, truck or bus driver’s challenge.

Whether you live in the city or in a rural area, what should be drummed into your head are the words “Look right, look left and look right again”. These words should be hotwired into every preschool learner’s thinking.
Phrases such as “Never step into a road unless you plan to cross over at a zebra crossing” and “Green means GO and red means STOP!” set the way for safety etiquette when using the roads as a pedestrian. But, generally speaking, it seems that people who come from rural areas, where traffic is at a minimum, don’t seem to understand the rules of the road or are not taught these in school. There is a total lack of understanding of the rule “Give way to pedestrians”: this only applies at zebra crossings and at street intersections where pedestrian crossings are clearly marked. It does not mean that pedestrians can cross roads anywhere they want to, which they arrogantly do.

We have seen a sudden increase in pedestrian-related collisions in the past few weeks and have attended to 247 pedestrian accidents in the last month. One of the more recent incidents occurred in Cape Town when two pedestrians were struck at high speed while walking next to the N1 highway near the Okavango off-ramp. One of the men died at the scene and the other was left with various injuries.

Paramedics who attended the scene noted that this specific area is known for high-speed pedestrian accidents as pedestrians are known to cross the busy highway at that point. On the same day, the ER24 Discovery Medicopter was dispatched to assist with the transportation of a seriously injured patient who had sustained broken bones in both of his legs. The 35-year-old male was struck by a vehicle as he was attempting to cross the R59 highway in Meyerton, Gauteng.

Most of the fatal pedestrian accidents involve pedestrians crossing a busy freeway at any given time during the day. Contributing factors such as a lack of education and alcohol abuse may play a role in the large number of pedestrian-related vehicle collisions around South Africa.

ER24 would like to advise all pedestrians and road users on the following precautions when using the roads around the country.

• Always cross the road at a designated crossing point such as an elevated freeway walkway, a zebra or humped pedestrian crossing or a robot activated crossing.
• Look right, left and right again to ensure that all traffic has come to a complete stop before stepping into the road.
• Wear visible or reflective clothing when walking, jogging or standing next to a road or freeway.
• Motorists should utilise their headlights even in daylight to improve visibility of pedestrians, also giving pedestrians a better chance of seeing a vehicle that may be approaching.
• Drivers should pay attention to their surroundings and be pre-emptive to pedestrians walking next to or on the roads.

As December approaches and the temperature rises, more individuals will be seen outside enjoying the pleasant weather. Slippers will be swapped for running shoes and boots will be swapped for flip-flops as joggers and beachgoers enjoy the great outdoors. Drivers and pedestrians should be mindful of one another, as an unexpected run-in may be devastating.