Young drivers are most at risk on South African roads—Volvo encourages smarter, safer decisions this Youth Day.
- Young drivers face the highest risk on South African roads, with high fatality rates and low seatbelt use, especially close to home.
- Volvo continues to prioritise safety, from pioneering the three-point seatbelt to advanced driver-assist technologies.
- This Youth Day, Volvo reminds new drivers that their choices matter most, because no safety feature is more powerful than a responsible driver.
Youth Day in South Africa is a time to reflect, but also to look forward—a day that honours the bravery of the past while reminding us just how much potential lies in the next generation. Volvo Car South Africa believes that protecting that potential starts with keeping young people safe, especially on our roads.
Young drivers are one of the most vulnerable groups on South African roads, and the numbers back it up. According to the Road Traffic Management Corporation, 60.2% of all driver fatalities in the fourth quarter of 2023/2024 were in the 25 to 44 age group, up from 57.7% the year before. More young adults die on the roads as drivers than any other age group. This trend highlights the high stakes for new and inexperienced drivers.
Source: Volvo Cars
Last year, Volvo Car SA released findings showing how seatbelt use among young drivers drops significantly closer to home, often influenced by peer pressure or a misplaced sense of safety in familiar areas. The same research revealed that more than half of 18-24-year-olds sometimes or never wear a seatbelt at all. It’s a reminder that the habits we form behind the wheel can have lasting consequences. Whether during the festive season or an ordinary weekday commute, the need for consistent, responsible driving choices remains unchanged.
And it’s not only young drivers who are at risk. During the same period, 46.8% of all passenger fatalities were also in the 25 to 44 age group, up from 45.8% the year before. More than half of all passenger fatalities during this period were youth. Whether behind the wheel or in the passenger seat, young South Africans face disproportionate danger on the roads—making smart, safer choices more important than ever.
Source: Volvo Cars
“Volvo has spent nearly a century focused on saving lives through innovation, education, and engineering,” said Felipe Yagi, Head of Marketing and Communications at Volvo Car South Africa. “But even with the safest cars in the world, we know that real road safety starts with the driver. On Youth Day, we want to remind young South Africans that they’re not just drivers. They’re decision makers and their choices matter—on the road and everywhere else.
Since its founding in 1927, the Swedish marque has been committed to keeping road users of all kinds safe, whether they’re travelling in a Volvo or not. This is evident in the creation of the three-point seatbelt in 1959, a device which is credited with saving more than one million lives. Understanding the importance of this life-saving invention, Volvo chose not to patent the design; instead, it shared it with other automakers to enable them to implement it in their vehicles.
Source: Volvo Cars
We’ve developed vehicles that not only protect people in a crash, but also help prevent one from happening in the first place. From collision avoidance systems to driver alertness monitoring, blind spot information systems, and adaptive cruise control, our cars are engineered to support drivers—especially those still finding their confidence on the road.
Safety features Volvo has pioneered:
- 1959 – Three-point seatbelt
- 1972 – Rear-facing child seat
- 1978 – The booster cushion
- 1990 – Integrated booster cushion
- 1991 – Side Impact Protection System (SIPS)
- 1994 – Side Impact Airbags (SIPS-bag)
- 1998 – Whiplash Injury Protection System (WHIPS)
- 1998 – Inflatable Curtain
- 2002 – Rollover Occupant Protection System
- 2003 – Blind Spot Information System (BLIS)
- 2008 – City Safety
- 2010 – Pedestrian detection with full auto brake
- 2014 – Run-off road protection
- 2016 – Connected safety
- 2018 – Oncoming mitigation by braking
- 2020 – Speed cap
- 2023 – Driver understanding system
- 2023 – Occupant sensing
- 2024 – Accident ahead alert
Source: Volvo Cars
But here’s the truth: no matter how advanced the technology, nothing replaces a focused, responsible driver. And when you’re just starting out, that matters more than ever.
That’s why this Youth Day, we’re speaking directly to learner drivers and new licence holders: you are the most important safety feature in your car. Every decision you make—from putting your phone away, to slowing down in wet weather, to wearing your seatbelt—adds up. And it might just save a life, or someone else’s.
Source: Volvo Cars
Volvo cars are built to help when things go wrong. But they’re also designed to support you when things go right. To be part of a driving journey rooted in care, confidence, and responsibility. So as we celebrate the energy, resilience, and determination of South Africa’s youth this June, we also encourage every new driver to take road safety seriously—not just for themselves, but for everyone they share the road with.
Because no matter how safe a car is, the biggest safety feature will always be you.
Source: Volvo Cars