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Past Issues

February 2005

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Accidents 2004

 

Every festive season, the Department of Transport (DoT) rolls out an awareness campaign in an attempt to educate road users on how to travel safely. The Arrive Alive Campaign of 2004 was launched with much enthusiasm and fanfare in early December but despite the commendable efforts of hundreds of people driving the campaign, the death toll on our national roads over the last holiday period exceeded that of 2003 and is tantamount to a national disaster. FleetWatch's Paul Collings analyses the tragic statistics. In a press release dated January 14, 2005, the Director-General of Transport, Wrenelle Stander, announced that the number of fatal crashes per 10 000 registered motorised vehicles this past December decreased by 0.8% compared to December 2003, while the rate of fatalities decreased by 1% for the same period. "Particularly pleasing is the downward trend in pedestrian fatalities, which decreased by 1,8% over the same period last year," Stander said.
	OLIVIERSHOEK PASS An accident victim from this overturned bakkie (above) is loaded into an ambulance (below).
	A PARADE of emergency vehicles did a few laps at the Wesbank Raceway to mark the launch of the 2004 Arrive Campaign in December. Dignitaries such as the D-G of the DoT Wrenelle Stander and the Minister of Transport, Jeff Radebe, added their weight to the proceedings urging all to take care on roads over the festive season. From the statistics received, road users did not heed the call.

The 2004 December period saw traffic volumes increase by 6,25% compared to December 2003. "Given these statistics, one would have expected a similar increase in road fatalities. However, fatal crashes only increased slightly by 1% from 973 to 985, while fatalities increased by 3% from 1 194 to 1 230.

"Nearly 40% of fatal crashes occurred on Saturdays and Sundays while a quarter occurred between 19:00 and 22:00 at night and the other quarter between 22:00 and 06:00," Stander said, adding that this underscores the importance of traffic law enforcement and the fact that it needs to be effected on a 24/7 basis.

Ed's Note: Ms Stander, you got the last part right about law enforcement. The rest is spin-type smoke and mirrors. You know, as we all know, that it was a disaster out there. But it is certainly not all Government's fault as so many are now saying. Read on...

Road accidents not only take their toll on those left behind but on the economy as well. It is estimated that the combined cost of clearing our roads of wreckage - both flesh and steel - is somewhere in the region of R35 billion per annum. This is taxpayer's money that could be used elsewhere to fight disease, educate children and create jobs. 
 

WINDY CORNER An unladen truck which jack-knifed the previous night on a wet and misty road just below Windy Corner on Van Reenen’s Pass.

How the trucks fared
Being a trucking magazine, FleetWatch is particularly interested in how the trucks fared over this period and on this point, the news is bad. Given that Festive peak traffic period heightens the dangers for truck driers in that they have to share the roads with thousands of vehicles normally not out there, it is obvious that the number of accidents involving trucks will go up. However, it shouldn't be to the extent we are seeing. 
 

SWARTSPRUIT STORM A large bluegum tree fallen over across the N3 at Swartspruit, due to a huge hailstorm. Notice, there is still some ice on the verge of the road.

The statistics FleetWatch received from the National Fatal Accident Information Centre of the Department of Transport in January 2005 are strictly to do with road accidents involving trucks. The DoT co-operates with FleetWatch every year on separating truck accidents from the rest. It is a mammoth task and we thank the DoT team for the hard work they do on this exercise.
 

That said, out of a total 1 265 vehicles involved in accidents during the period from December 1st 2004 to December 30th 2004, emergency services dealt with 108 truck-related accidents. These incidents involved the full spectrum of road users, including trucks of various sizes, pedestrians, LDVs, buses, sedans, minibuses, motorcycles and bicycles. The actual number of trucks involved totalled 117, less than 10%. This does not conflict with the figure of 108 as some of the accidents involved two or more trucks. The really bad news, however, is that truck related accidents resulted in the deaths of 166 people out of a total death toll of 1 230 - more than 13%. Table 1 details the deaths per province.

The alarming reality is that more passengers died than anyone else. Out of the total 166 deaths, 91 passengers lost their lives, constituting more than 54% of the death toll resulting from truck-related accidents. The statistics received do not state whether the passengers were in the trucks or the other vehicles but it is safe to assume - based on the fact that there would not have been a large number of passengers in the trucks - that most were in 'other' vehicles.

The hardest part to digest here is; passengers invariably do not cause accidents. They sit innocently in a vehicle, often having paid a fare, wanting only to arrive safely at their destination. When drivers and pedestrians act negligently, passengers pay the ultimate price.

The walking dead 
It is an unavoidable fact of modern life that heavy, high-speed vehicles share the road with other more vulnerable vehicles like bicycles and motorbikes. Pedestrians too traverse our roadways and are often the victims of negligence, be it a driver's or their own. Of all road fatalities, pedestrians account for half. Which brings us to the million-dollar question: What happened to good old common sense?

One resounding message that comes through the grim reams of accident statistics is that people aren't paying attention to the road and the task of driving (and walking). They simply aren't thinking 'road safety' when they make decisions on the road. Whether it's overtaking on a blind rise or curve or following a slow-moving truck too closely or crossing a road in low visibility conditions, people risk their lives to save a few minute's worth of travel time. More often than not, accidents could have been prevented if people used common sense rather than resorting to blind faith before they executed the 'terminal move'. 

Ed's Note: It is thus I stated above Ms Sander. It's not all Government's fault. Many individual roads users are totally irresponsible out there. Government is not off the hook, but it is not alone on the hook.

A snapshot of disaster
The worst accident of the festive season involving a truck occurred in the Free State between a truck and a 4x4, killing ten people, eight of whom were children. The following account (courtesy of iol.co.za) describes the horror that results from risky driving. But please note - it was not the truck driver's fault. Neither, we might add, was it the Government's fault. 

According to Eastern Free State police spokesperson Captain Motafari Ntepe, a truck, with three occupants, was apparently travelling in the fast lane on the N3 towards Durban before the crash. "It is alleged that about 18km from Warden, Mr. Mtakati's vehicle, a Toyota Prado, overtook another car on the barrier line. The driver of the truck allegedly tried to avoid the collision and swerved into the slow lane. Unfortunately the truck jack-knifed and collided head-on with the Prado. Due to the impact of the crash, the Prado exploded into flames, killing all ten occupants," she said. The three occupants of the truck sustained slight injuries.

Lessons from the chaos
The truck accident statistics FleetWatch receives from the DoT are pretty comprehensive and besides the death toll, include times of accidents, where they happened, what the causes were and what vehicles were involved (even down to the registration numbers and owners of the trucks). On close scrutiny, a vivid picture emerges of the horror that played out over the season. It does not make for easy reading. Let's look at the alleged causes of the 108 truck-related collisions with a view to future prevention.

Ed's Note: Please note that the lessons we highlight from the collisions are certainly not scientific or absolute. We highlight them as food for thought and we urge operators to study the accompanying statistics so as to highlight areas where drivers can be trained to improve. That's why we publish these figures. It's not to linger on disaster. A lot of people put a lot of work into preparing these statistics for our readers with the object of giving you information that will help prevent future incidents. Highlight your own trends and lessons from the figures and discuss them with your drivers. Get their input for they are the ones in the front-line of this war.
 

Head-rear: 21 incidents
More often than not, it was a sedan ploughing into the rear end of a truck. This could be the result of insufficient following distance, speeding, poor brakes, fatigue and/or drunk driving on the part of the following vehicle. Head-rear accidents could also be a result of poor visibility - perhaps poor tail lighting and/or retro-reflective markings on the lead vehicle. Five of these incidents occurred between 22h00 and 06h00. 
Lesson: Darkness and mist should always be navigated with full illumination and awareness. Get your lights checked. Apply the best retro-reflective tape to your truck. Drivers should always observe safe following distances. Always keep your truck's brakes in top condition. Make sure your tyres are well treaded.

Head-on: 25 incidents
Invariably the most devastating type of collision and one that could so easily be prevented. As described in the truck/4x4 Prado incident above, drivers become impatient with slower-moving traffic and overtake on barrier lines, blind rises and curves, when visibility of oncoming traffic is poor (this includes dusty, misty and rainy conditions). 
Lesson: When in doubt, SIT TIGHT. Drive with patience and respect all other road users - passengers included.

Fatigue: 7 incidents
Long distance driving takes its toll on all drivers and driver fatigue ranks as a prime taker of lives. Truckers need to recognise the signs of fatigue and stop to rest.
Lesson: Drivers should not feel pressured to keep driving. They should stop and sleep at safe, peaceful truck stops. They should be taught to recognise the signs of fatigue, i.e. inability to concentrate, perpetual yawning, erratic driving, losing track of time and a change in driving speed. 

Sideswipe: 6 incidents
A head-on but not quite. Someone got impatient and overtook when visibility was poor (oncoming traffic) and had to pull back into the lane with a vehicle alongside, clipping it at the side.
Lesson: As for head-on situations, drivers need to be patient and courteous and wait for a clear gap ahead. When in doubt, HANG BACK!

Pedestrians: 26 incidents
As mentioned above, pedestrians account for half the deaths on our roads and very often, they are children. Drivers need to be made aware that pedestrians should be viewed with caution and respect. Pedestrians also need to be educated about road safety. Poor braking ability and lack of concentration are also often the cause of pedestrian fatalities.
Lesson: Truckers must drive fully roadworthy vehicles and conduct regular brake checks. They must always be on the look-out for pedestrians. The government should implement a mandatory, formal road safety curriculum in all schools, at both primary and secondary level.

Speeding: 10 incidents
This figure may seem low but these are collisions that definitely happened because a driver was exceeding the speed limit. A driver 'losing control' could well be a result of excessive speed and speeding also often causes pedestrian fatalities and head-rear accidents. It is important to note that driving too slow can also be fatal. When a slow moving vehicle moves into the fast lane to overtake another slow moving vehicle, the driver should make sure he has sufficient space to get 'up to speed' before traffic to the rear reaches his vehicle.
Lesson: Trucks should be fitted with governors (such as is mandatory in Europe) and tracking systems that control and monitor speed (cars too?). Drivers should be penalised for infringements by their employers. The general public should be continuously reminded to keep calm and respectful to other road users and adhere to speed limits. The DoT could implement more traffic calming measures like cameras, signs and speed bumps etc. in high accident zones.
 

Alcohol: 1 incident
Truckers can be proud of the fact that in this area, they had a clean slate. The one death from alcohol abuse came about when a pedestrian under the influence of alcohol was struck and killed by a truck in the Eastern Cape. We can, however, assume that in the total 'all vehicles' fatality figure, there were several other deaths due to drunk drivers and drunken pedestrians.
Lesson: Drivers caught 'over the legal limit' should have their licences suspended. New in-cab breathalyser technology should be fitted in fleet trucks. Drunken pedestrians should be removed from the roadway and locked up until sober.

Unroadworthy vehicles: 5 incidents
Four accidents were as result of faulty brakes and one due to bald tyres. Twenty vehicles were either unregistered or not on the National Traffic Information System (NaTIS). What can we say that hasn't already been said?
Lesson: Ensure tyres, brakes and other safety critical components are in good working order. In other words, ensure your vehicles are roadworthy. Implement a preventative maintenance policy in your company and follow it! Only operate roadworthy, registered trucks. For enforcement officers, the lesson here is to check the roadworthiness of vehicles and get those that do not fit the bill off the road. The term says it all. They are not worthy of being on the road. They are unroadworthy. Simple!
 

Bottom Line
There were other 'classes' of accidents like passengers falling off trucks and cyclists being hit that further emphasise the need for more pro-active education - from grass roots level upwards - on road safety. Ultimately, it's all about self-preservation. Drivers must take the initiative and learn the art of defensive driving. Transport companies must finance driver training and managers must ensure ongoing maintenance of both vehicle and driver fitness.

On a broader front, we can throw as many clichés as we like at the situation to numb ourselves to the realities; "accidents happen", "when it's your time it's your time" etc, but something has to be done to stop the carnage; to educate people how to use our roads safely. 

At the launch of the 2004 Arrive Alive Campaign, Minister of Transport Jeff Radebe congratulated a column of youngsters who had performed noble civil duty throughout the year as 'scholar patrollers'. These school kids are getting first-hand knowledge on how to safely handle road conditions, drivers and pedestrians. Unfortunately, they are a privileged few.

The majority of our youth are not taught the fundamentals of road safety. FleetWatch asked the Department of Education if road safety featured as a mandatory part of the school curriculum and the answer was a gob-smacking "NO"! Isn't it high time that we instil a culture of road safety from grass roots level by formally teaching our kids throughout their school careers how to really 'arrive alive'?

Did South Africa pass the road safety test over the Festive Season? The answer is a disappointing and resounding NO! It failed dismally - on all fronts - with hundreds of families once again left in tears for it is true to say that behind every road fatality is a family torn asunder. The emotional impact of losing a loved one can never be quantified.

To those readers who are in mourning, all of us at FleetWatch offer our most heartfelt condolences. You are in our prayers. Know this; we will continue to fight against this totally unacceptable destroyer of lives.

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