INSURANCE PROGRAMME
How road rewards help put the brakes on car accidents
Latest report offers fascinating insights into the surreal dance of order and chaos on SA’s roads, writes Anton Ossip
An insult often fired at women is "female drivers!". It should be "male drivers!". In 2016 men were involved in 10,802 fatal road accidents in SA — a shocking 76.8% of all fatalities. The recently released Road Traffic Management Corporation’s annual report for January to December 2016 offers fascinating insights into the surreal dance of order and chaos on SA’s roads. This month’s Gauteng roads and transport department’s figures on the cost of road accidents and fatalities to the economy reports it as a staggering R143bn of GDP. Underreporting of accidents means the real cost is higher. The corporation says "human factors" are behind 77.5% of fatal crashes and 89.1% of major crashes. These include jaywalking (5,410 pedestrians died last year), hit-and-runs, speeding, overtaking in the face of oncoming traffic, driving tired, drunk or on drugs, disregarding road signs and using a cellphone while driving. The Cape Chamber of Commerce responded to the figures by asking for the voice o...
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