Cape Town's roads are becoming increasingly dangerous, according to newly released traffic statistics. The City of Cape Town's Traffic Service has revealed a concerning spike in road offences over the last financial year (July 2024 to June 2025), with over 2.7 million offences recorded.
The most alarming statistic is the 49% increase in motorists disregarding red traffic signals. This significant rise points to a worrying trend of reckless driving behaviour across the metro. In addition to red light violations, general driving offences have increased by 30.3%, and overloading infringements are up by 15.1%.
While speeding remains the most common offence, with 1,840,601 incidents recorded, the surge in other dangerous behaviours is raising serious concerns about road safety.
Crackdown on Offenders
The Traffic Service is taking a more aggressive approach to tackling these offences. They impounded 12,224 vehicles, including minibus taxis, e-hailing vehicles, and buses. Furthermore, the city has seen a 61.4% increase in vehicle towing, with 952 vehicles removed for offences like illegal parking, obstruction, or abandonment. A new vertical lift tow truck has been deployed to assist with this effort.
Arrests and Drunk Driving
Enforcement efforts also led to 2,272 arrests. A staggering 72% (1,638) of these arrests were for drunk driving, highlighting the ongoing problem of impaired driving in Cape Town. Another 259 arrests were made for reckless and negligent driving, and 375 arrests were for serious crimes uncovered during traffic operations, including murder, possession of stolen goods, and robbery.
Call for Personal Accountability
Alderman JP Smith, the city’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, attributes these trends to a 'lack of personal accountability' among road users. He argues that while enforcement efforts are robust, they are hampered by limited resources and a culture of transgression. Smith urges road users to take responsibility for their actions and contribute to creating safer roads for everyone.
The City of Cape Town is calling on all road users to prioritise safety and adhere to traffic laws to reverse these alarming trends and make Cape Town's roads safer for all.