Drinking and driving remains one of South Africa’s most persistent and preventable road safety challenges. Reducing drinking and driving requires coordination, shared accountability and a commitment to learning. To that end, AWARE.org and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) have launched Drive Sober, Stay Alive, a six-month initiative that brings together government, law enforcement and civil society in an evidence-led effort to make Johannesburg’s roads safer.
Running from June until the end of December 2026, the initiative will combine strategic planning, operational enforcement, public education and real-time research to better understand and reduce alcohol-related road incidents. The programme will focus on high-risk periods such as public holidays, long weekends, winter festivities and the festive season, while also monitoring lower-risk periods to build a comprehensive understanding of driving and alcohol consumption patterns throughout the year.
This intervention brings together key departments and partners within the City of Johannesburg. The initiative will help streamline coordination and assess whether a structured, collaborative approach can deliver stronger and more sustainable road safety outcomes. Ultimately, the initiative aims to reduce drunk driving incidents and strengthen overall road safety in support of the 2030 goals of reducing road fatalities and serious injuries by 50%, as outlined in both the National Road Safety Strategy and the United Nations Global Road Safety Strategy.
“Through the Drive Sober, Stay Alive initiative, AWARE.org is demonstrating its commitment to a more coordinated and evidence-led response to drinking and driving. Our goal is to generate practical evidence that can help strengthen interventions, improve accountability and inform South Africa’s broader response to drunk driving,” said Mokebe Thulo, CEO of AWARE.org.
The initiative builds on recommendations from AWARE.org’s 2025 Don’t Drink and Drive Seminar, which brought together government, law enforcement, civil society and road safety experts to explore practical solutions for reducing alcohol-related harm on South Africa’s roads.
The need for stronger intervention is clear. JMPD data shows that DUI arrests increased from 8,287 in 2023 to 9,898 in 2025, while evening hours between 18h00 and 23h59 continue to account for the highest concentration of arrests. The data also points to a gradual increase in average alcohol levels among offenders over the same period.
Roadblocks have also become increasingly important in enforcement operations, accounting for more than 72% of DUI arrests in both 2024 and 2025, compared to just over 50% in 2023. The data also shows that the majority of offenders fall within the 25–44 age category, while males account for approximately 94–96% of arrests.
“Drunk driving remains a serious and entirely preventable threat on our roads. Through Drive Sober, Stay Alive, JMPD is strengthening data-driven enforcement and using evidence to guide operations that prioritise public safety and save lives,” said Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) Spokesperson, Xolani Fihla.
Central to the initiative is the use of Evidentiary Breath Alcohol Testing (EBAT) machines, which provide court-admissible breath alcohol readings at the point of arrest. The technology helps address one of the longstanding challenges in South Africa’s drunk-driving enforcement process by strengthening the link between arrest, prosecution and accountability.
Beyond enforcement, the initiative seeks to better understand the journey through the justice process, from arrest through to prosecution and, where appropriate, rehabilitation or alternative resolution pathways. Courts and rehabilitation partners will work together to improve accountability and strengthen case follow-through.
The initiative will also incorporate ongoing research and analysis throughout the six-month period. Data gathered during enforcement operations will be used to assess trends, identify behavioural patterns and inform future interventions. This will create a continuous feedback loop between action and learning, ensuring that interventions are informed by real-world evidence. Insights generated through the programme will contribute to future road safety policy discussions, operational planning and decisions around scaling similar interventions nationally.
Beyond enforcement, the initiative seeks to better understand the journey of offenders through the justice process, from arrest through to prosecution and, where appropriate, rehabilitation or alternative resolution pathways. The programme will monitor key indicators including DUI arrest trends, public awareness levels, behavioural patterns and attitudes towards drinking and driving.
As the initiative rolls out, members of the public are encouraged to play an active role in improving road safety by planning ahead, using e-hailing services, appointing designated drivers and making responsible decisions around alcohol consumption. Public awareness and personal accountability remain critical to reducing alcohol-related harm and saving lives on South Africa’s roads.
