By Peggie Mars
Founder, Wheel Well – Child Road Safety NGO

Why Our Boys Are Dying

South Africa’s roads are not just dangerous -they are gendered. According to the RTMC’s 2024 report, 75% of road fatalities are male, with young men aged 15–29 disproportionately affected. This is not a coincidence. It’s a reflection of how masculinity is constructed, rewarded, and punished in our society.

As an advocate for child road safety, I’ve spent years fighting for better infrastructure, stronger enforcement, and more compassionate post-crash care. But the data tells me we’re missing something deeper: the way boys are raised to see risk as power, and vulnerability as weakness.

What Is Hegemonic Masculinity?

It’s a sociological term, but its effects are visible every day. Hegemonic masculinity is the dominant cultural script that says “real men” must be tough, in control, and unafraid. On the road, this translates into:

• Speeding to impress
• Driving under the influence
• Refusing to wear seatbelts
• Challenging authority
• Treating rules as optional

These behaviours aren’t just personal choices – they’re social performances. And they’re killing our sons.

Boys Learn Early

In communities where driving is a symbol of status, boys absorb these norms young. They see reckless driving rewarded, caution mocked, and alcohol use normalized. By the time they reach driving age, many are already primed to take risks – not because they want to die, but because they want to belong.

And when they do die, we mourn them as individuals – but rarely challenge the system that shaped their choices.

The Role of Absent Fathers

One of the most overlooked factors in youth road trauma is the absence of emotionally present fathers. Boys growing up without consistent paternal guidance often lack models of calm authority, emotional regulation, and responsible decision-making. In the absence of nurturing male figures, some turn to peer groups or media portrayals that glorify dominance, speed, and rebellion.

Driving becomes a stage for proving oneself -especially in environments where manhood is measured by control, not care.

We cannot protect women without raising better men.
Our boys deserve more than discipline – they deserve empathy, mentorship, and space to grow into responsible, emotionally literate adults. Road safety is one place to start.

The Minibus Taxi Mirror

The minibus taxi industry reflects this dynamic in sharp relief. It’s male-dominated, loosely regulated, and often driven by bravado. Children ride in these vehicles daily – unrestrained, unprotected, and unseen. When crashes happen, we blame the driver. But the deeper issue is cultural: a transport system built on speed, dominance, and survival, not safety.

Alcohol and Masculinity

Alcohol is a leading factor in road deaths, especially among young men. But our messaging often misses the mark. Telling men “Don’t drink and drive” is not enough. We need campaigns that:

• Challenge the myth that “real men can handle their drink”
• Offer alternative models of masculinity rooted in care, responsibility, and emotional intelligence
• Engage boys in schools, sports clubs, and communities -before they get behind the wheel

Road Safety Is Not a Standalone Discipline

Youth road deaths are not just about traffic – they are about trauma, poverty, gender, and belonging. Socio-economic pressures shape how young people move, what they drive, and how they’re treated when things go wrong. Unsafe transport, poor infrastructure, and fragmented families all play a role.

We must stop treating road safety as a technical silo. It is a mirror of our society – and if we want to save lives, we must address the full picture.

What Can We Do?

As advocates, we must:

• Name the problem: Gender norms and father absence are road safety issues
• Design interventions for boys and young men, not just generic “road users”
• Partner with educators, psychologists, and youth leaders to shift the narrative
• Hold the Department of Transport accountable for integrating gender, trauma, and socio-economic realities into policy and enforcement

A Call to Action

Our boys are not reckless by nature. They are responding to a script we’ve handed them -and it’s time to rewrite it.

Road safety is not just about seatbelts and speed limits. It’s about identity, belonging, and the courage to challenge what we’ve normalized. If we want to save lives, we must start with our sons.