• National statistics show that 87% of all festive-season crashes are linked to driver behaviour and vehicle condition. Over the 2024/25 holiday period alone, 1 502 fatalities occurred from 1 234 crashes, a 5.3% increase from the previous year. *South African Department of Transport – Preliminary 2024/25 Festive Season Statistics.

 

The holiday season is one of the highest-risk periods for road users and fleet operators. Reduced visibility, fatigued drivers, and increased traffic volumes contribute to higher accident and claim frequencies. As operations slow down or shift schedules, proactive fleet management becomes essential to maintaining continuity and protecting assets.

 

We know through experience that this period presents the greatest frustrations for claims, storage, repair and vehicle + necessary operational uptime being negatively affected by claimable events. This also provides us with the opportunity for fleet managers and business owners to really shine by planning for the avoidable and achieving stellar results by keeping wheels on the road.

 

Consider the following high-impact risk areas and actions to strengthen your resilience this festive season:

 

Driver fatigue and behaviour

• Plan trips around rest cycles and try to avoid high-traffic periods throughout the day.
• Fatigue, distracted driving, and speedingremain the dominant contributors to serious incidents.
• Telematics data should be reviewed weekly to flag recurring driver-behaviour patterns and route risks with preemptive measures put in place for drivers who frequently fall outside of the bell-curve of acceptable behaviour.
• Poor journey planning and unrealistic delivery timelines are among the most common causes of driver-related losses over December. Reviewing these before the break reduces both collision frequency and downtime.

 

Vehicle maintenance and readiness

• Comprehensive pre-holiday inspections are critical.
• Check tyres, brakes, lights, and tracking devices, and verify that all vehicle licences and certificates of fitness are current.
• Neglected maintenance often results in secondary claims, such as towing or cargo damage, that extend claim resolution times.
• Ensure servicing is up to date and perform preventative maintenance where necessary.
• Insurer data consistently links poor vehicle condition to a high proportion of December claims, with mechanical failure contributing to nearly 30 percent of accident investigations. Preventative maintenance reduces both collision exposure and policy-excess costs. *Combined industry data analysis – SA Short-Term Motor Claims Review 2024.

 

Reporting and claim management

• Ensure every driver knows the post-incident protocol: who to contact under normal circumstances as well as emergencies, what photos or forms to capture, and how to reach your broker.
• A lack of clear reporting channels is a major cause of delays and claim repudiations.
• Businesses that activate broker support within 24 hours of an incident experience up to 40 percent faster turnaround times, limiting financial and operational disruption.
• Wyngaardt Brokers assists clients directly through guided claim reporting, document collation, and insurer engagement to ensure every claim is handled efficiently and transparently.
• For a real-world example of how our claims and risk oversight have strengthened operational continuity for a major transport partner, you can view our fleet case study here. Source: Internal claims performance data and portfolio experience (2024).

 

Vehicle storage and security

• If the fleet will be stationary, verify parking locations, alarm coverage, and access control.
• Ensure that the vehicles are parked in a manner that will allow for sufficient spacing between vehicles and groups of vehicles, prevents tampering and makes daily security inspections simple and effective.
• Temporary storage sites and unmonitored yards are key loss areas over December and January.
• Inform your insurer if storage arrangements or use patterns change to maintain full theft and fire cover.
• Industry trend data indicates that theft claims involving unattended vehicles rise by up to 18 percent during December, particularly across logistics and passenger transport operations. Simple steps, such as immobiliser/alarm checks and CCTV uptime tests, reduce exposure significantly. *South African Insurance Crime Bureau – Vehicle Risk Bulletin 2024.

 

Operational continuity

• Keep critical information accessible.
• Key contact lists, roadside-assistance numbers, and digital policy recordsshould be available to operational leads even during shutdown.
• Assign a duty manager for emergency response and claim escalation.
• Fleet operators who maintain verified contact protocols and digital reporting systems demonstrate 25 percent lower claim rejection rates.
• Wyngaardt Brokers provides structured continuity frameworks that integrate with your internal systems to keep response times short and accountability clear. * Wyngaardt Brokers Client Portfolio Audit 2024.

 

Reach out to us here to discover how our strategic insurance and risk solutions can help strengthen your business.

 

Wyngaardt Brokers (Pty) Ltd is an Authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP 53138).

 

Disclaimer: The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for legal, medical, or financial advice, but is only provided for informational purposes. Ts and Cs, limits, and standard rates apply.