Death rate from road injuries in South Africa
South Africa: Death rate from road injuries was 24.46 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
24.46 deaths per 100,000 people
Change on year
up 24.3%
World rank
21st
of 194 countries
All-time high
41.66 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2006
All-time low
19.68 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2020
Years of data
22
2000–2021
Death rate from road injuries in South Africa, 2000–2021
Source: World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
In 2021, death rate from road injuries in South Africa stood at 24.46 deaths per 100,000 people.
That represents a change of up 24.3% on the previous year and down 20.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, death rate from road injuries in South Africa peaked at 41.66 deaths per 100,000 people in 2006 and was at its lowest, 19.68 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2020.
That places South Africa 21st out of 194 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Death rate from road injuries in South Africa, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 36.32 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 2001 | 34.85 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.0% |
| 2002 | 38.88 deaths per 100,000 people | +11.6% |
| 2003 | 39.84 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 40.34 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 38.79 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.8% |
| 2006 | 41.66 deaths per 100,000 people | +7.4% |
| 2007 | 34.7 deaths per 100,000 people | -16.7% |
| 2008 | 33.37 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.8% |
| 2009 | 32.24 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.4% |
| 2010 | 31.38 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 30.9 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 29.49 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.6% |
| 2013 | 29.77 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 26.88 deaths per 100,000 people | -9.7% |
| 2015 | 26.84 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 28.89 deaths per 100,000 people | +7.6% |
| 2017 | 28.74 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 26.1 deaths per 100,000 people | -9.2% |
| 2019 | 24.93 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.5% |
| 2020 | 19.68 deaths per 100,000 people | -21.1% |
| 2021 | 24.46 deaths per 100,000 people | +24.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 37.1 deaths per 100,000 people | 32.24 deaths per 100,000 people | 41.66 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.39 deaths per 100,000 people | 24.93 deaths per 100,000 people | 31.38 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.07 deaths per 100,000 people | 19.68 deaths per 100,000 people | 24.46 deaths per 100,000 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 18 Niger 24.86 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 19 Benin 24.81 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 20 Eswatini 24.74 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 22 Afghanistan 23.95 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 23 Ecuador 23.45 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 24 Djibouti 23.34 deaths per 100,000 people compare
More health data for South Africa
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1386 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,152 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 3,333 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 50-54, male, annual growth rate 2.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per capita 0.0221 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, annual growth rate 0.8639 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per capita 0.0217 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is death rate from road injuries in South Africa?
- Death rate from road injuries in South Africa was 24.46 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, according to World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest death rate from road injuries recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 41.66 deaths per 100,000 people in 2006.
- What is the lowest death rate from road injuries recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.68 deaths per 100,000 people in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for death rate from road injuries?
- South Africa ranks 21st out of 194 countries with data for 2021.
- Is death rate from road injuries rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Death rate from road injuries. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths from road injury in both sexes, per 100,000 people.