Did you know that In June 2025, the South African automotive industry recorded a 18.7% increase in new vehicle sales compared to the same month in 2024.*
That's a lot of new cars on the road. But how safe actually is South Africa for drivers?
To answer that question, the car insurance experts at Compare the Market looked at the worst (and best) countries in the world for drivers based on factors such as road deaths, road quality and average speed limits.
And, South Africa ranks as the 4th worst country for driving! Here's why:
- South Africa has 17.9 road deaths per 100,000 people - highlighting the ongoing challenges the country faces in road safety.
- The country's traffic score of 48.45 out of 100 underscores the need for improvements in traffic management and overall road safety to support a more reliable and secure driving environment.
- South Africa's road quality score of 4.5 out of 7 reflects above-average infrastructure, yet there is still room for improvement to ensure safer and more efficient roads.
The top 10 worst counties for drivers can be found below:
|
Rank |
Country |
Road Deaths per 100,000 People (2025) |
Road Quality (1=Low, 7=High) |
Legal BAC Limit (%) |
Avg Speed Limits (km/h) |
Traffic Score |
Overall (Out of 100) |
|
1 |
Thailand |
30.7 |
3.89 |
0.05 |
87.5 |
168.5 |
43.83 |
|
2 |
Argentina |
15.4 |
3.47 |
0.05 |
87.5 |
175.9 |
46.21 |
|
3 |
Indonesia |
10.6 |
5.20 |
No Legal Limit |
77.5 |
193.7 |
48.10 |
|
4 |
South Africa |
17.9 |
4.53 |
0.05 |
90.0 |
186.1 |
48.45 |
|
5 |
Vietnam |
38.5 |
3.92 |
0.05 |
87.5 |
108.4 |
49.87 |
|
6 |
United States |
12.1 |
5.40 |
0.08 |
100.5 |
152.6 |
50.24 |
|
7 |
Malaysia |
22.1 |
5.28 |
0.08 |
80.0 |
168.1 |
51.08 |
|
8 |
Iran |
19.9 |
4.14 |
Zero Tolerance |
87.5 |
212.2 |
52.76 |
|
9 |
Philippines |
10.9 |
3.97 |
0.05 |
80.0 |
178.7 |
52.86 |
|
10 |
Saudi Arabia |
53.8 |
5.17 |
Zero Tolerance |
95.0 |
140.9 |
53.24 |
The worldwide ranking can be found here: https://www.comparethemarket.com.au/car-insurance/features/worlds-best-drivers/