The Department of Transport’s move to extend South Africa’s driving licence card validity period from five to eight years has reignited a debate over whether card renewals truly enhance road safety. Experts and historical data suggest the answer is a clear no.

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No Evidence That Licence Card Validity Period Improves Safety

Rob Handfield-Jones, managing director of Driving.co.za and a leading expert on driving laws, says there is no credible research indicating that limiting the validity of driving licence cards improves road safety in South Africa. In fact, he believes the evidence points to the opposite.

South Africa introduced the current licence card system in 1998, replacing the indefinite licences printed in ID books. Since then, road fatalities have increased, not declined. The country’s lowest road fatality rate was recorded the same year the cards were introduced, with 6.9 deaths per 100 million vehicle kilometres. By 2006, that rate had doubled, and Handfield-Jones notes it has likely doubled again since, based on seasonal fatality trends during peak traffic periods like Easter and Christmas.

“There’s no evidence that the introduction of licence cards had any positive effect on road safety,” he explained. “If it did, it was overwhelmed by the much larger negative effects of rampant licensing corruption and the re-purposing of enforcement for revenue generation.”

Global Best Practice Shouldn’t Be Copied Blindly

The recent push for extending the validity period comes after the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) commissioned a study by engineering consultancy Zutari. The report revealed that most developed countries have an average licence card validity of about 10 years. Sweden, for example, with a 10-year licence period, has one of the lowest road fatality rates in the world, 2.7 deaths per 100,000 people.

In contrast, countries with shorter validity periods, usually under five years, often have poor safety records. But Zutari cautioned against “blindly assuming” international norms are suitable for South Africa without considering the local context.

Despite this warning, Zutari still recommended extending card validity to eight years for South Africa’s current laminated cards and potentially 10 years for new polycarbonate cards.

Health Concerns Cited, But Are They Justified?

While the former transport minister Fikile Mbalula expressed support for the extension, his successor Sindisiwe Chikunga rejected the idea, citing health concerns. Chikunga and the RTMC argued that a five-year renewal cycle was necessary due to South Africa’s health environment, including concerns about undiagnosed communicable diseases and a general lack of regular medical screening, particularly eye tests.

Current transport minister Barbara Creecy has since confirmed that processes are now underway to implement the eight-year validity period. However, critics argue that health risks, particularly deteriorating vision, can be addressed without forcing all drivers to renew their licences at the same interval.

Should Licence Cards Expire at All?

Handfield-Jones believes the entire concept of physical cards and arbitrary expiry dates should be scrapped. He advocates for a digital licensing system with no fixed expiry date. Instead, licences should only be revoked based on legitimate health concerns, especially for elderly drivers whose risk of being involved in an accident increases sharply after age 70.

“Traffic data is consistent in showing that crash risk bottoms out at around age 65, then climbs as people become more prone to age-related health conditions,” he said. “Mandatory re-testing for over-80s is not unreasonable, but there isn’t a globally consistent approach.”

Handfield-Jones supports compulsory eye tests every five years, submitted directly by optometrists to ensure drivers remain visually fit to drive. But he maintains that a blanket rule for licence card expiry is not backed by evidence.

Reform, Not Renewal, is What’s Needed

South Africa’s road safety challenges are complex and deep-rooted, involving issues of corruption, enforcement inefficiencies, and poor driver education. The assumption that frequent licence renewals will solve these problems lacks empirical support.

If anything, the current system places unnecessary strain on both motorists and the state. A more effective approach may lie in focusing on digital innovation, routine health checks, and targeting high-risk drivers, rather than adhering to outdated systems that may do more harm than good.