Road traffic accident case studies in the Republic of South Africa. Report IV: Contributory factors as derived from the Cape Town investigations.

Contributory factors in 150 Cape Town accidents are analyzed and discussed in terms of failures in performance, failures in operating function, and attributes pertaining to road users, vehicles and the traffic-way. Traffic offences committed in the accidents are given, pedestrian accidents are discussed. Comparison between the Cape Town findings and earlier ones from Pretoria and Durban shows, inter alia, that in all three cities the vehicle control function failures were virtually all brake failures, the predominant operating skill failure was the inability of drivers to deal with an emergency situation, and that alcoholic intoxication figured predominantly as a contributory factor.