SOUTH Africa bled R142 billion as a result of costs arising from road traffic crashes that were recorded last year.
This is according to a study conducted by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.
The findings of the study were shared yesterday by the CSIR’s Kobus Labuschagne with delegates at the national traffic indaba under way in Durban.
The study found that a total of 12 944 fatalities in 10 613 road traffic crashes were recorded by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) two years ago.
“The total cost of the road traffic crashes on South Africa’s road network for 2015 amounted to an estimated R142.9bn – equating 3.4 percent of the gross domestic product,” the study said.
A breakdown of the costs showed that R99bn was incurred in human casualty costs, R21.3bn in vehicle repair costs and R22.5bn in incident costs.
“Although it is difficult to directly benchmark South Africa’s performance against other countries, as costing methodologies differ from country to country, it is clear that South Africa is not performing favourably.”
Addressing hundreds of traffic officers at the indaba, Labuschagne described the billions lost in road traffic crashes as “an elephant in the room” .
“The elephant in the room has that weight. It is a heavy weight and it is important to note that it is invisible,” he said.
Labuschagne also said there was a need to reduce the current figure to a more acceptable level.
“It is a fact that we have one of the highest fatality rates in the world.
"Road traffic crashes and injuries place an enormous burden on the South African society as well as the economy.”
The billions incurred in road traffic crashes could have been put to good use to grow the country’s economy and create jobs, he pointed out.
Transport Minister Dipuo Peters, who opened the indaba on Tuesday, had decried the high number of road traffic crashes and their associated consequences.