The Road Accident Fund (RAF) is well aware that road traffic injuries are a global problem affecting all sectors of society.
It also subscribes to the notion that road traffic injuries are a growing public health issue, which disproportionately affects vulnerable groups of road users, including the poor.
The key objectives of the RAF Road Safety Strategy are to reduce the current high rate of road accidents by becoming proactively involved in activities aimed at addressing road safety behavior and promoting road safety principles and effective law enforcement.
The RAF Road Safety has identified the following road safety pillars:
The RAF seeks to contribute towards road safety and to reduce the unemployment amongst the Youth through a Youth Driver Development Program. The Program aims to build a cadre of young professional drivers by equipping unemployment youth with safe driving skills through a training program to obtain a learners license, driver's license and Public Drivers Permit (PrDP). Every year a certain number of Youth are recruited from allocated areas; such Youth need to meet certain criteria, such as:
They must be between ages 23 to 34
They must be unemployed and not studying fulltime
They must be residing from rural or per-urban areas
They must have matric
The aim of the Promotion of Child Restraint Program is to educate motorists about the importance of restraining infants between 0-3 years of age in their vehicles when travelling with them. The ultimate outcome of the Program is to reduce fatalities and serious injuries involving infants as a result of not being restrained in vehicles. The Child Restraint Program is executed by educating motorists and distributing baby car seats in strategic areas such as hospitals where the RAF has offices as well as during law enforcement operations (road blocks).
Speed and pedestrian visibility have been identified as major causes of pedestrian accidents in South Africa. The Low Cost Infrastructure interventions seeks to reduce pedestrian related deaths through erection of speed calming measures such speed humps, rubble strips, lane restrictions and improving signage and road signals. This program is initiated by identifying high pedestrian hazardous locations, in association with relevant sections within Municipalities and Provinces. Once erected, the RAF hands back the infrastructure to the relevant roads authority to manage it further.
The Defensive Driver Program has two elements to it:
The Qaphela Training is a theoretical sessions focusing on motor vehicle drivers. The training assists drivers to identify and respond to road hazards in a predictable manner. Drivers are taught to improve their skills by reducing their driving risks through anticipating situations and making well-informed decisions. The key to any good defensive driving strategy is to know how to avoid traffic crashes and recognize potential hazards before it's too late. The Qaphela Training also focuses on how drivers can overcome negative psychological factors such as unneeded stress, fatigue, emotional distress and road rage. It also offers instructions for developing a positive attitude behind the wheel and increasing one's focus on the driving task.
This program is implemented in partnership with respective Provinces and Municipalities who identify drivers from within freight companies as well as taxi and bus associations.
The Ride Wise Training is a practical safety training for motorcyclists. The training accommodates both social bikers, commuting bikers as well as delivery bikers. The training covers basic bike maintenance to ensure safe riding; appropriate protective clothing for appropriate bike; techniques for safer and more confident riding around emergency situations; slow speed skills for ultimate control in small spaces; braking, swerving & obstacle avoidance, steering & body position, and slow riding techniques; lines, cornering styles, and throttle control; and techniques for group riding.
The RAF provides the training through experienced service providers who have an impeccable record in the motorcyclists training in the country.
The RAF supports non-governmental organisations (NPO's, NGO, PBO's NPC, etc) who are involved in road safety. Such organisations are invited to submit comprehensive proposals to the RAF for consideration. Such proposals are adjudicated by relevant committees before being submitted for approval. The proposals need to cover at least one of the following focus areas (not limited to the list below):
Pedestrian visibility
Promotion of cyclists safety
Youth road safety programs
Use of technology to promote road safety
Low cost infrastructure
Use of safety belts and child restraints
Health screening for public transport drivers
Organisations with worthy proposals are invited to submit them at fundingrequest@raf.co.za.
