THE BMZ ACADEMY
THE BMZ ACADEMY
053 8213
BMZ ACADEMY 061 262 1185/068 053 8213Page 1 of 22
, THE BMZ ACADEMY
Public Perceptions of the Role of Licensing Corruption in Road Accidents: A
Case of University Students in Pretoria
BMZ ACADEMY 061 262 1185/068 053 8213Page 2 of 22
, THE BMZ ACADEMY
Abstract
Road traffic accidents remain one of the most persistent public safety challenges in
South Africa, with fatality rates consistently exceeding those of comparable middle-
income countries. While existing research has largely focused on driver behaviour,
infrastructure deficiencies, and vehicle conditions, growing international scholarship
highlights the role of governance failures particularly corruption within regulatory
institutions as a critical but underexplored contributor to road carnage. Among these
institutional failures, corruption in the driver licensing system undermines the
regulatory function of the state by enabling unqualified individuals to obtain legal
driving authorisation, thereby increasing systemic risk on public roads.
This study investigates public perceptions of the relationship between driver licensing
corruption and road traffic accidents, using a qualitative case study of university
students in Pretoria. Guided by an interpretivist research paradigm, the study
employed semi-structured interviews to elicit participants’ views on the prevalence of
licensing corruption, its perceived impact on road safety, and its implications for
institutional trust. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify
recurring patterns of meaning across participant narratives. The findings indicate that
licensing corruption is perceived as systemic and normalised, directly linked to unsafe
driving practices and indirectly associated with weakened regulatory legitimacy and
diminished compliance with traffic laws. Drawing on governance theory, public
administration literature, and international comparative insights from the World Health
Organization and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the
study argues that road safety interventions must move beyond technical enforcement
and address the integrity of licensing institutions and the social norms that sustain
corruption. The study contributes to road safety and governance scholarship by
foregrounding public perceptions as a critical dimension of regulatory effectiveness.
BMZ ACADEMY 061 262 1185/068 053 8213Page 3 of 22
THE BMZ ACADEMY
053 8213
BMZ ACADEMY 061 262 1185/068 053 8213Page 1 of 22
, THE BMZ ACADEMY
Public Perceptions of the Role of Licensing Corruption in Road Accidents: A
Case of University Students in Pretoria
BMZ ACADEMY 061 262 1185/068 053 8213Page 2 of 22
, THE BMZ ACADEMY
Abstract
Road traffic accidents remain one of the most persistent public safety challenges in
South Africa, with fatality rates consistently exceeding those of comparable middle-
income countries. While existing research has largely focused on driver behaviour,
infrastructure deficiencies, and vehicle conditions, growing international scholarship
highlights the role of governance failures particularly corruption within regulatory
institutions as a critical but underexplored contributor to road carnage. Among these
institutional failures, corruption in the driver licensing system undermines the
regulatory function of the state by enabling unqualified individuals to obtain legal
driving authorisation, thereby increasing systemic risk on public roads.
This study investigates public perceptions of the relationship between driver licensing
corruption and road traffic accidents, using a qualitative case study of university
students in Pretoria. Guided by an interpretivist research paradigm, the study
employed semi-structured interviews to elicit participants’ views on the prevalence of
licensing corruption, its perceived impact on road safety, and its implications for
institutional trust. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify
recurring patterns of meaning across participant narratives. The findings indicate that
licensing corruption is perceived as systemic and normalised, directly linked to unsafe
driving practices and indirectly associated with weakened regulatory legitimacy and
diminished compliance with traffic laws. Drawing on governance theory, public
administration literature, and international comparative insights from the World Health
Organization and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the
study argues that road safety interventions must move beyond technical enforcement
and address the integrity of licensing institutions and the social norms that sustain
corruption. The study contributes to road safety and governance scholarship by
foregrounding public perceptions as a critical dimension of regulatory effectiveness.
BMZ ACADEMY 061 262 1185/068 053 8213Page 3 of 22
