Road deaths down this Easter – Busamed urges travellers to keep the momentum going

Easter 2025 marked South Africa’s safest long weekend on the road in three years, with crashes and fatalities having dropped sharply nationwide. Emergency response specialists at the Busamed Private Hospital Group share Transport Minister Barbara Creecy’s view that sustained visibility, public-awareness drives, and driver-education campaigns in the days before and during the holiday were critical to this success.

“While we cannot – and should never – overlook the 167 lives lost over the weekend, the figures show that focused awareness campaigns can make our roads safer for everyone,” notes Busamed Head of Communications Taryn Laas.

According to the Department of Transport, Easter weekend road fatalities fell by 45.6%, from 307 in 2024 to 167 in 2025, while crashes declined by 32.5%, from 209 to 141. Additionally, law-enforcement teams stopped more than 177,000 vehicles, impounded 1,536, and arrested 941 drivers for drunk driving.

Laas stresses that such progress depends on support from a number of private-sector interest groups. “The criminal-justice cluster deserves recognition for its impact on commuters’ lives over Easter and the year as a whole. We also support government’s efforts to extend its campaign until the fourth of May to include the two additional long-weekend periods after Easter. Even with this commitment, it’s understood that our brave public protectors cannot be everywhere, and government and road users alike rely on organisations such as ours to share the load.”

Busamed, together with Rocket HEMS, East Coast Radio, the N3 Toll Concession, and many volunteers, felt compelled to pick up the torch and help keep our roads safe over Easter. On Thursday and Monday, 17 and 21 April, emergency-response, tow-truck, CPF, and other safety vehicles set up for two visible activations at Engen Bergview 1 Stop in Harrismith and Engen Mooi 1 Stop in Mooi River on the N3. Rocket HEMS also stationed an emergency helicopter at Harrismith for increased visibility, and Busamed-sponsored traffic updates and three ‘R3,000 Spot the Helicopter’ competitions were held by Busamed on East Coast Radio.

“Holiday travellers responded warmly to our presence. Whether they stopped and spoke with us about road safety and general wellness in person or simply noticed our emergency vehicles along the route, countless people were reminded of the importance of staying awake and alert, and practicing safe driving for the remainder of the trip. Some drivers took advantage of the free health screening on offer as well”

“N3TC’s incident management response efforts were significantly bolstered through this partnership with Busamed and Rocket HEMS. The availability of an air ambulance, which could speedily respond from its central location in Harrismith, if needed, was invaluable. We’re extremely proud of what we accomplished through the partnership and look forward to future collaborative efforts to enhance safety on the N3 toll route,” says Thania Dhoogra, COO of the N3 Toll Concession.

Laas finally adds that, although these Easter statistics are highly encouraging, “efforts must continue to make roads even safer. Few public holidays and long-weekends lay ahead for the next few months, but road safety remains a 24/7 concern. Our seven private hospitals nationwide stand ready to treat the injured and save lives, but the ultimate responsibility rests with drivers, passengers, and pedestrians to stay safe.”