South Africa's truck and bus sector lost R37.2 billion to accidents and fatalities from 2018 to the end of December last year, according to findings from a study conducted by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC).
Anton Cornelissen, head of Santam Heavy Haulage, said his department paid out claims of about R650 million for the same period.
This excludes the R11 billion in claims that the insurer as a whole paid out for this period, of which last year's April floods in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and their devastating consequences for infrastructure and property made up a "fair percentage".
Speaking at the launch in Sandton of Master Drive's Fleet Safety Awards 2023, Cornelissen said the RTMC found that the period under scrutiny claimed the lives of just over 4 000 people in the bus and truck sector.
He said the study makes for some eye-opening reading and is a comprehensive reflection of the industry, as only 12% of all accidents for the period were unrecorded, either due to errors by the RTMC or the lack of available information.
He said it bodes well for the state of direct industry involvement in data accumulation.
"If you compare that (the RTMC report) to numbers from the motor industry, it's very different. It shows that the heavy haulage industry in South Africa is managed by people in the industry."
Further insights from the RTMC report, supported by research from Santam itself, show that 20% of all incidents in the sector during the 2018-2022 period occurred in Gauteng and KZN.
About 35% of all vehicles involved in accidents were registered in Gauteng.
Notable hotspots were Ladysmith and Van Reenen, the latter being particularly notorious due to the undulations of the N3 through the Drakensberg and the misty conditions often associated with the pass.
The N1 at Musina was also flagged as an accident hotspot for heavy haulage and mobility.
Cornelissen added that 35% of all fatalities in the sector were pedestrians, often causing accidents or being involved in collisions.
Referring to the mid-year unrest in KZN in 2021 following the imprisonment of former South African president Jacob Zuma, and the widespread looting and destruction of logistical property that followed, Cornelissen said it forced companies like Santam to rethink how they conduct their business.
"The insurance industry faces significant challenges due to the floods in KZN and political unrest. We need to tailor-make solutions."
This includes other incidentals, such as the unseasonal rain that Gauteng received this autumn, Cornelissen said.
He added that long-distance drivers are under a significant amount of pressure to meet supply-chain targets against strict timelines, often resulting in fatigue.
As a result, Santam, especially because it had been found that most accidents occur late and over weekends, has implemented a penalty excess for claims related to accidents during graveyard shifts.
“But it’s a double-edged sword,” Cornelissen said.
“Once you stop there are new risks, such as tyre theft.”
