A spate of truck accidents in South Africa have, once again, drawn attention to the dire state of road safety in our country.
Of all road accidents, truck accidents tend to result in the most fatalities and serious injuries, and the greatest damage to property.
In this article, we consider:
- South African truck accident examples and statistics
- factors contributing to high numbers of truck accidents
- what to do if you’re involved in a truck accident
- how to claim compensation as an accident victim.
Truck accident statistics in South Africa
In September 2022, a collision between a truck and a bakkie in Pongola, KwaZulu-Natal resulted in 19 school children and two adults losing their lives.
Just days later, a further three KZN truck accidents occurred in a single day, again resulting in loss of life.
More recently, seven people died and 62 were injured when a truck collided with a bus in the Free State.
Unfortunately, accidents like these are far from isolated events. Truck accidents occur on a near-daily basis, across South Africa.
These accidents account for a disproportionate number of South Africa’s road fatalities.
In a study by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), heavy load vehicles accounted for 9.4% of all fatal crashes on South African roads.
The statistic is only for trucks with a gross vehicle mass above 3,500 kilograms – a vehicle category that made up just 3.3% of the vehicles recorded on our roads.
What’s responsible for so many truck accidents in South Africa?
A South African culture that supports reckless driving and a lackadaisical approach to vehicle maintenance, along with a lack of policing, contribute to the excessively high number of road accidents.
Commenting on recent, serious truck accidents in Gauteng, Dave Johnston, a consultant for the Matrix Road Safety Association, noted that “there is a major problem with truck drivers not adhering to road rules and driving vehicles that are not roadworthy.”
A few added factors help account for high numbers of truck accidents.
According to a survey conducted by the University of the Witwatersrand, as many as half of all long-haul truck drivers in South Africa get less than 5 hours of sleep a day.
The survey also found that many truck drivers work over the maximum 71 hours per week mandated by the South African Labour Relations Act. In fact, those surveyed worked an average of 93 hours a week.
With little likelihood that they’ll face penalties, trucking companies boost profits by overloading vehicles, many of which aren’t properly roadworthy, and by extending driver shifts.
What to do if you or a family member is in a truck accident
If you’re involved in any road accident as a driver, stop your vehicle, assist anyone who’s injured (including calling for emergency assistance) and report the accident to the police.
You’re legally required to report a road accident immediately if anyone has been injured or killed. If the accident has caused damage only to property, you can report it at a local police station within 24 hours.
When reporting a road accident, ensure that you obtain an accident reference number.
Steps to take to protect yourself legally
If you’re involved in a truck accident in South Africa, it’s ideal if you can record specific information straight away. This is so that you can provide a full report if required by an insurer or for legal purposes. For example, record:
- information about the accident, including what happened, when and where
- contact details and ID numbers of those involved, of the relevant trucking company and of any witnesses
- details of the truck driver’s or truck company’s insurers
- details of the vehicles involved in the accident, including make, model and registration numbers
- the name, staff number and station of a traffic police officer at the accident scene.
If possible, it’s a good idea to use your cell phone to take photographs of the accident scene, showing the sides of the vehicles, their relative positions and the extent of any damage that has been caused.
Avoid unintentionally admitting liability (for example, by saying “sorry”) or signing any documents you’re handed at the accident site.
Any road collision is traumatic, but avoid drinking alcohol or taking drugs after an accident. As well as compromising your credibility and ability to think straight, these could be dangerous if you’re in shock or injured.
Also, it’s possible that after an accident, you might be required to submit to a blood alcohol test. It could be impossible to prove that alcohol or drugs you took to calm your nerves after an accident weren’t already in your system when the accident occurred.
Making a personal injury claim
Many truck accidents in South Africa result in serious injuries that require long-term treatment and rehabilitation, and some of these – like paraplegia and quadriplegia – leave people permanently disabled.
Medical costs for significant injuries can run into the hundreds of thousands or even more, adding financial stresses to the physical and mental trauma already present in the circumstances.
If you or a family member is seriously hurt in a truck accident that was the fault of the truck driver or the trucking company, you may have a valid legal claim for compensation.
This could mean you’ll be compensated for medical expenses, income lost as a result of your injury and, in cases of serious injury, pain and suffering associated with the accident.
If you think you may have a personal injury case as a result of a truck accident in South Africa, the first step is to contact experienced personal injury lawyers.
Contact us at DSC Attorneys for the best possible legal advice and representation. We work on a “no win, no fee” basis and specialise in road accident claims, including claims involving truck accidents.
