‘Don’t Be a Creep’: Cape Town launches campaign to curb dangerous driving habits
City of Cape Town officials launch the ‘Don’t be a Creep’ road safety campaign, urging motorists to stay behind the stop line and keep intersections clear during peak traffic.
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The City of Cape Town has launched a new road safety initiative urging motorists to stop “creeping” into intersections and blocking traffic.
The ‘Don’t be a Creep’ campaign, introduced by the City’s Urban Mobility Directorate on Monday, October 27, 2025, will run throughout the festive season when traffic volumes are at their highest.
Creeping, when motorists inch over the stop line and block intersections before it is safe or legal to proceed, has become a growing cause of congestion and road rage across Cape Town.
The City says the practice is not only illegal but endangers other road users and delays emergency services.
“Creeping makes congestion worse and tempers flare,” said Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas.
“Motorists creep over the line into the area that should always be clear for turning vehicles, pedestrians, and other motorists to pass through. When this happens, they effectively block the intersection for all traffic and then everybody is trapped in a gridlock situation.”
Quintas said the problem is especially common during peak hours along major routes.
“I often see this in the Cape Town central business district at key intersections on exit routes, and along other arterial routes such as the M3. This type of behaviour is unacceptable and illegal, and worst of all makes our roads unsafe for everybody. Most seriously, this can be the difference between life and death when emergency vehicles are unable to reach crisis scenes in time.”
The campaign will remind drivers to:
- Wait behind the intersection line
- Keep crosswalks clear for pedestrians
- Avoid entering an intersection unless they can fully clear it
- Drive with patience and consideration during heavy traffic
As part of the campaign, signs warning motorists not to block intersections have been installed along key arterial routes where creeping is commonly observed.
The City also encouraged residents to assist in improving traffic flow by reporting faulty traffic lights, a major cause of congestion.
Residents are urged to provide the street address, area, and if possible, the identification number on the traffic signal control box.