Exposure to Traffic Related Hazards Among High School-Going Learners in South Africa

Abstract

This article reports on a study that explored the extent to which young students engage in various behaviors that expose them to traffic related road hazards in South Africa. More than half (56.4%) of child transport-related deaths in South Africa are due to pedestrian injuries. Pedestrian deaths are ranked as the top external cause of death among children aged 5-14 years. Among older people the risk of traffic-related hazards is even higher as over 70% of transport-related deaths occur among pedestrians, of whom 60% have elevated alcohol concentration levels. The authors conducted a cross-sectional study across the nine provinces of South Africa, using a two-stage stratified cluster sampling to select a total of 23 schools in each of the provinces and random selection to choose two classes per school. Self-administered questionnaires were completed by 10,699 students in 207 schools. The respondents included 54% females and 46% males with an average age of 17 years. Preliminary findings demonstrated a low usage of seatbelts (21.4%); over one-third of the students (35%) reported being in a car driven by an intoxicated driver; and 8% had driven after drinking alcohol. More males than females reported being in a car driven by an intoxicated driver (35% versus 32%) and driving a car after drinking alcohol (7.8% versus 5.5%). Over 10% of students reported walking alongside a road after drinking alcohol with the highest rate (19.6%) occurring in Western Cape. The authors conclude by calling for more collaborative multi-sectorial partnerships between research disciplines to explore road safety beyond surveillance data and the incorporation of theoretically-based behavior change interventions for all road users.