Can you claim from the Road Accident Fund in South Africa?

Road accidents are an unavoidable consequence of economic growth in any country. As road infrastructures increase, transportation systems improve, and more and more people make use of vehicles. Consequently, roads are bound to become an increasing danger zone. And South Africa is not exempt from this phenomenon. According to Arrive Alive’s Road Safety Report of 2017, the number of fatal vehicle crashes increased from 10613 in 2015 to a staggering 11676 in the year 2016. That is a 10% increase in fatal road accidents.

This has a resulted in a total of R28 billion in Road Accident Fund payouts in 2015, and with road accidents on the high, this figure does not look as though it will be coming down anytime soon. Therefore, South Africans need to be more knowledgeable of their rights when it comes to road accident claims and The Road Accident Fund.

The Road Accident Fund is a publicly accessible state-fund that is set-up to provide compensation to those who have suffered serious injuries as a result of a road accident. The RAF provides personal injury, and, when applicable, death compensation to those injured in motor vehicle accidents within the country’s borders, provided they aren’t entirely to blame for the accidents. Drivers, passengers, pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists can all claim from the RAF. Furthermore, parties responsible for an accident are covered against any claims for bodily injury.

You can claim from the RAF if:

You were injured in an accident and were not solely responsible for the accident.
You’re the driver responsible for the accident but not the owner of the vehicle, and the accident was a result of the owner’s negligence.
You are a dependent of the deceased.
You’re a close relative of the deceased and incurred the funeral expenses.

Road accident claims as with any other personal injury claim must be thought out as several factors influence the legitimacy of the claim, and it can take years for the matter to be settled. It is therefore advisable to seek professional legal counsel if you wish to launch a road accident claim.

Learn more about our Road Accident Fund Claim Services
If you think you have a road accident claim, contact our offices for a free 1-hour consultation to review your case. Malcolm Lyons and Brivik work on a no win, no fee basis for road accident fund claims.