Young people are more vulnerable on the roads with 43.5% of personal claims submitted to the Road Accident Fund (RAF) in the past five years from individuals aged 15-35.

The number of claims submitted by individuals in this age group totalled 70,743.

Claimants under 15 years filed 15,227 claims.

RAF head of corporate communications McIntosh Polela said the high number of young people injured and killed on the roads was “deeply troubling”.

“Human error is a major factor, and South Africans, especially the youth, must reflect on their behaviour and make better choices,” he said.

Polela said longer winter nights increase the risk of accidents, emphasising the need for vigilance.

According to the fund, road accidents are a leading cause of death for young people, contributing to about 41% of all road fatalities, averaging 4,620 deaths annually. 

It said young people are often injured or killed as pedestrians (38%) or passengers (35%). 

About 24,098 young people in the 15—34 age group were killed on South African roads from 2019 to 2023.