The most dangerous roads to travel in South Africa this December

The Department of Transport has identified key high-risk routes for accidents ahead of the 2025/2026 festive season, the most dangerous time of the year to be on the road in South Africa. 

Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, recently launched this year’s festive season safe driving campaign, the 365-day Arrive Alive Road Safety campaign in Kroonstad, in the Free State. 

This year’s theme was announced as “It Starts with me”, aiming to highlight that each driver has a role to play in reducing road accidents and fatalities. 

While millions will be using South Africa’s roads in December and January for holidays, family gatherings and year-end celebrations, Creecy encouraged all drivers to make the correct choices so that everyone can get home safely. 

“We can enjoy well-deserved breaks, we can participate in celebrations, and we can all return safely home in January,” the minister said. 

In the year-to-date, there have already been 9,400 fatalities on South African roads. In the 2024/2025 festive season, the country recorded 1,502 deaths from 1,234 fatal crashes, a 5.3% increase from the previous year. 

“We all agree that the accident rate is much, much too high,” Creecy said. “There is still a lot more work that we have to do.”

The Minister said that, in an effort to curb fatal accidents, the department has identified the country’s most dangerous roads and will increase police presence in these areas. 

Creecy says that the provinces of Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Limpopo collectively account for the majority of fatal crashes

It comes as no surprise that South Africa’s biggest highways are also its most dangerous. Creecy said the N1, N2, N3, N4 and N17 have been identified as high-risk routes. 

The Department identified the N1 as one of the most dangerous roads in the country. The National Highway runs from Beit Bridge on the Zimbabwean border, through Polokwane, Pretoria, Johannesburg and Cape Town. 

According to emergency services company, iFearLESS, drivers on the N1 highway between Johannesburg and Cape Town report frequent multi-vehicle collisions involving cars and heavy trucks. 

The deadliest roads

There is also a high rate of vehicle hijackings, fatigue-related crashes and cash-in-transit heists. 

The N2, on the other hand, runs from Cape Town through George, Gqeberha, East London, Mthatha, Port Shepstone and Durban. 

Between Gqeberha and Cape Town, the road is notorious for poor road conditions that increase the accident risk, holiday season traffic creating dangerous overtaking situations and isolated stretches that provide opportunities for criminal activity.

The N3 is the main highway that connects Johannesburg and Durban. The journey has claimed countless lives due to severe weather conditions, such as fog and torrential rain.

It is also known for heavy truck traffic, especially on steep sections, which causes fatal accidents. Van Reenan’s pass is notorious for jackknifed trucks and multi-vehicle pileups. Crime incidents also increase with high-volume holiday traffic.

The N4 runs from the Botswana border through Rustenburg, Pretoria and to Komatiepoort on the Mozambique border. 

Recently, motorists using this route have been warned to be cautious near the R52 Koster and N4 Zeerust intersection, particularly when entering and leaving Rustenburg, as the steep incline can cause many vehicles to roll backwards. 

The N17 connects Johannesburg to eSwatini through Mpumalanga. Criminal activity, including hijackings and robberies, is common, especially between Springs and the Carnival Toll Plaza. 

Creecy also mentioned that some secondary roads have been picked out as high-risk as well. 

Notably, she said extra law enforcement will be present on Moloto Road, R573, which connects Johannesburg to Mpumalanga. 

Cartrack has listed Moloto as the most dangerous road in South Africa, stating that it has the highest number of crashes and fatalities over the last five years.

This is due to poor road conditions, lack of visible markings and road signs, poor maintenance and stray animals/wildlife.