The rise of claims due to motor vehicle accidents in the country could result in the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund becoming unsustainable in the future. This was revealed by the MVA Fund Senior Manager (Injury Prevention) Mompati Bontsibokae during a Stakeholder Engagement Forum held at Adansonia Hotel in Francistown last week Tuesday.
Bontsibokae said in a five-year period from 2019 – 2023 they spent P180 million on average in accident claims. He said for the year 2023 alone, the Fund paid over P220 million in accidents claims. He said the growth in claims impacts on the Fund’s sustainability. He also said the overall economic impact of these claims is estimated to be 2-3 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
“This is a serious concern as the number of claims have been growing annually in the five-year period. The overall economic impact is estimated to be 2-3 percent of the country’s GDP,” he said.
Sharing the road safety situation in Botswana he said in the same five-year period from 2019 to 2023, the country recorded an average of 311 fatal crashes, 399 deaths, 915 serious injuries and 3 541 minor injuries.
Bontsibokae revealed that passengers account to 43 percent of deaths, pedestrians 26 percent while drivers account for 31 percent. In terms of gender, males account for 70 percent of deaths. Touching on age he said those who are economically active in the age range of 24 to 49 years are the mostly affected.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) report of 2023, accidents globally cause the deaths of 1.19 million people annually. Accidents are also the number one killer of children and young adults aged between 5 and 29 years. They are also the lead cause of deaths in all ages. The report further states that 92 percent of this road carnages occur in low and middle-income countries.
As part of their interventions Bontsibokae said they have put in place a safer mobility strategy which seeks to reduce fatalities by 10 percent in 2027. To achieve this, they have public education where they impart knowledge on members of the public to change their behaviour. He said through public education, they have roadside campaigns, mobile children traffic school, road safety roadshows, community road safety projects, strategic partnerships, conferences and engagements.
“We also have advocacy. In terms of advocacy we are looking at a number of issues such road safety management systems through coordination. Road safety needs to be coordinated and there is need for structures and policies in place. There is also a need for other stakeholders to be taken on board,” he said.
Among some of their flagship initiatives he said in 2018 they outsourced the services of a company that trained some of their staff and stakeholders on basic road safety management. He said they also had Road Safety Audit training. In 2021, the Fund also had amongst others, Webinar Road Safety Management where there was promotion of a road safety work culture by incorporating road safety in the work place.
“This year we have developed an MVA Fund Road Safety Promotion and Advocacy Strategic Plan from 2024 to 2028,” added Bontsibokae.
