346 perish in road mishaps 

The Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVA) on Friday convened a high-level Road Safety Stakeholders Engagement Forum in Gaborone to dialogue how road safety can be enhanced amidst growing level of road crashes. Giving a presentation on road crashes statistics in 2024, Manager Injury Prevention at MVA Mompati Bontsibokae said 346 people died due to road accidents with 78% of deaths accounted by men. He said 271 males were involved in road accident fatalities while 75 females died representing 22%. 

Bontsibokae said the high statistics amongst males are a cause for concern and there is an urgent need to really establish the root cause of the accident, adding that drunken driving could be a big factor. He said some of factors that contribute to road accidents include loss of control and head on collision etc. involving the drivers. Moreover, Bontsibokae said high number of road accident fatalities were recorded amongst pedestrians comprising 38% of the 100%, adding that most accidents occur at night with affected pedestrians are commonly under influence of alcohol. He said the road accidents have a burden on the economy of the country, adding that for MVA alone it spends on average P200 million as claims to those affected by road accident injuries. 

Wakeup call 

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MVA Michael Tlhagwane while said every day, countless lives are negatively impacted by road traffic accidents. Tlhagwane said these incidents are not merely statistics; the numbers presented earlier represent mothers, fathers, uncles, aunts, sons, daughters and friends whose lives have forever changed because of road traffic accidents. “As key stakeholders, each of us plays a crucial role in addressing this national challenge. Whether as policymakers, law enforcement officials, educators, private sector representatives, or the community, we all have the ability, and responsibility to contribute to a culture of safer roads,” said Tlhagwane. 

In addition, Tlhagwane said

 The theme of the forum, “Synergizing for Safer Roads: Collaborative Approaches to Effective Road Safety Management” speaks directly main challenges we face in ensuring safer roads across our nation. 

He said the theme emphasizes the importance of working together, across all sectors to create a safer environment for all road users. 

Tlhagwane added that this collaboration is more crucial than ever as we continue to strive for a society where road traffic injuries and fatalities are minimized, and road safety becomes a fundamental part of our daily lives. MVA Fund is an arm of government which provides a social security by providing compensation for people injured or killed in road traffic crashes. He said their mandate goes beyond merely addressing the aftermath of road traffic crashes but they are dedicated to contributing to the prevention of these crashes in the first place. 

Tlhagwane also underscored that road traffic crashes are not only a tragic loss of life, but also a strain on our resources, affecting families, communities, and the economy. “The cost of these crashes is not just measured in terms of medical bills or damaged property. The economic toll also includes lost productivity, long-term care for the injured, and the strain on healthcare systems,” he added.