Govt urged to focus on preventative measures to curb road crashes
An academic has urged the government to focus its attention on implementing preventative measures to reduce the amount of road accidents.
Crashes are said to cost the country's road network an estimated R143 billion every year.
This equates to 3.4% of our GDP.
Conran Joseph, an academic from the University of Stellenbosch, gave the keynote address at the Road Accident Fund's (RAF) two-day Case Management Conference underway in Ballito.
READ: RAF launches streamlined ‘customer-centric’ claims management centre
"It is very important that we, on the one hand, focus our attention to prevention, more reinforcement to reduce the number of crashes, but, those crashes that do occur, that we do look at the most effective and the most and the most cost-effective strategies to rehabilitate individuals."
Meanwhile, RAF CEO Collins Letsoalo has defended their decision to push for the amendment of the Road Accident Benefit Scheme Bill, which seeks to exclude claims from medical scheme members.
"You will be keen to know that the people that are upset are not claimants. They are medical aids, lawyers, and probably hospitals. Unfortunately, some are amongst [are] doctors."
"Mainly because we are aligning ourselves with global best practices. So, we are keen to engage with people who will make a meaningful contribution to better clinical outcomes and a better life for the claimant. That is what we are interested in. I think it becomes important we do that."
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