18 Sep 2022

Escalating road traffic accidents are a challenge to the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund coffers due to many payouts.

The payouts include compensation in the form of benefits such as medical care and rehabilitation, loss of income, loss of support and funeral expenses to accident victims.

On average, the fund collected P150 million from the fuel levy on yearly basis yet the payouts exceeded the collections.

The MVA Fund branch manager for Palapye, Mr Mmoloki Dikago, informed stakeholders in Selebi Phikwe on Thursday that MVA Fund was not a profit making organisation, hence being funded from the fuel levy.

He explained that road accidents statistics showed 325 fatalities in 2020, 413 in 2021 and from January to-date, 271
Road traffic safety, he said, was not the responsibility of MVA Fund and Botswana Police Service only, but for all.

Mr Dikago urged all road users to be vigilant and obey road signs.

For his part, the MVA Fund Francistown branch manager, Mr Keitumetse Mose-Nkala, warned that MVA Fund had a right to sue for recovery of benefits in cases of drunken drivers, recklessness, unlicensed drivers, use of defective vehicles with the defect being the cause of accident, drivers of stolen vehicles as well as owners who permitted drunken, reckless and unlicensed drivers.

He further explained that non-negligent party’s claim was capped at P1 million whilst the negligent party’s claim was limited to P300 000 or stabilisation.

In addition, he explained that drunken drivers’ loss of earnings reduced by 50 per cent if blood alcoholic level exceeded prescribed limit while loss of income for a passenger who was aware of the driver’s drunken state was reduced by 50 per cent.

Loss of earnings, he said was also reduced by 25 per cent if seatbelt was not used or if not seated in a proper seat or not wearing a helmet on a motor bike, thus calling for motorists to wear seat belt for safety and also to avoid losing their earnings in case they got involved in road accidents.

Mr Mose-Nkala further explained that in case where the donkey cart collided with a motor vehicle, all parties were eligible to claim from MVA Fund, adding the same applied to bicycles and pedestrians.

However he said in cases of collision with a train, only occupants of the motor vehicle would be covered by the fund.

Injury prevention manager for MVA Fund, Mr Thatayaone Mokakangwe, emphasised on the road traffic safety and change of behavior to minimise road accidents.

He said 90 per cent of accidents were due to human behavior calling for road users to avoid using mobile gadgets and driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

He stated that general disregard of traffic signs and signals, fatigue and failure to use seat belts also contributed to the rise in road accidents.

This engagement formed part of MVA Fund’s strategic objective of promoting effective stakeholder management and collaboration as well as educate stakeholders on MVA Fund’s product and services. ENDS