Africa has the lowest number of roads and cars compared to any other region, yet it has the highest proportion of vehicle fatalities. These are caused by common factors such as unsafe habits, speeding and drinking, inadequate infrastructure, limited emergency responders, and old vehicles.
Like in other places, experts point to speed, alcohol, and lack of seat belt or helmet usage as major contributors to fatalities and injuries.
In Africa, where there are 620 traffic-related deaths daily, these issues are worsened by poor road conditions, outdated vehicles, low prosecution rates, and a shortage of emergency services.
A recent report from the World Health Organisation(WHO) revealed that Africa had the highest ratio of road deaths compared to the rest of the world, including Southeast Asia, which had the highest number of road fatalities, with a staggering ratio of 19.5 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants in 2021. Despite having only approximately four percent of the world’s automobiles, Africa accounted for 19% of road deaths last year.
“What is worrying is the upward trend in Africa,” said Jean Todt, a former head of the International Automobile Federation and now the United Nations(UN) special envoy for road safety.
“We need to have better designed streets with sidewalks, adequate signage and pedestrian lanes, particularly around schools.”
He bemoaned the lack of public transportation for the rapidly growing urban population on the continent, which can also be attributed to urban planning.
The continent is the only area where the number of road fatalities rose between 2010 and 2021, increasing by 17% to reach 226,100. This increase was observed in over half of Africa’s countries (28 out of 54).
Pedestrians are the most affected, representing one-third of the total fatalities due to inadequate sidewalks, compared to 21% globally.
“Many African countries continue to design their infrastructure for motor vehicles and not for individuals, and without safety being the main concern,” said Haileyesus Adamtei, a transport expert at the World Bank.
According to the UN Road Safety Fund, a major culprit is the quality of cars on Africa’s roads with many over 15 years old.
In Senegal, a transport ministry spokesperson told AFP that faulty brakes and worn tyres were common — and often deadly.
“The dilapidated state of vehicles is a major factor in the lack of safety,” the spokesperson said.
Senegal introduced a lot of new rules after a head-on collision between two buses in January 2023 that killed 40 people.
“But most have never been implemented,” the ministry spokesperson admitted.
Some regulations, like the prohibition on loading luggage on the roofs of buses—which could make the vehicle unstable—have faced strong opposition from operators.
Additionally, it doesn’t help that drivers can frequently obtain a licence after only cursory lessons and tests, which are often sidestepped entirely through bribery.
Corruption also leads to lax law enforcement, allowing many road safety violations to go unnoticed. The UN has called for a “decade of action” to halve the number of road deaths by 2030.
Todt insists the aim is achievable and should top government agendas.
“Beyond the human tragedy, road crashes are also a major cause of slowdown in the development of a country, costing on average four to five percent of GDP, sometimes much more in Africa,” he said.
