The findings underscore pressing concerns over road safety and highlight areas in need of urgent improvement.

The report reveals that SA experienced 24.5 road traffic deaths per 100 000 people this year, a figure higher than the previous year.

Despite the country's relatively low motorway speed limit of 120 km/h, comparable to the safest country on the list, Norway, SA struggles with critical road safety issues. Among these is alarmingly low seat belt usage, with only 31% of front-seat passengers wearing them.

SA's ranking places it alongside other dangerous countries for driving, including Thailand and the United States. In contrast, Norway, Iceland, and Japan emerged as the top three safest nations for road users, highlighting the effectiveness of their stringent road safety measures.

--SABC/ChannelAfrica--