Oct 28, 2024 MISA, the Motor Industry Staff Association, Vincent Krouse, Transport Safety Lab (TSL), Martlé Keyter,
MISA comment - New lab is a step in the right direction
The road carnage in South Africa results in the deaths of more than 10 000 road users annually therefor MISA, the Motor Industry Staff Association, welcomes research and the use of technology to address the behaviour of drivers.
In 2023 10 180 fatal crashes resulted in 11 883 fatalities, compared to 10 466 fatal crashes resulting 12 436 fatalities in 2022. “MISA has always believed one life lost is one too many. On Heritage Day the Union suffered a tremendous blow when Vincent Krouse, the late Chairperson of the MISA Young Workers’ Forum and Vice-Chairperson of the Eastern Cape Regional Committee, passed on after a vehicle turned in front of his approaching motorbike in Gqeberha. The SAPS is investigating a culpable homicide case, but nothing will fill the void left by Krouse’s passing,” says Martlé Keyter, MISA’s Chief Executive Officer: Operations.
MISA welcomes the Transport Safety Lab (TSL) that the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Blade Nzimande, launched at the CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research). According to Nzimande the state-of-the-art facility, is part of the country’s efforts to reduce road fatalities and improve transport infrastructure through scientific research, data-driven solutions, and advanced technologies. The launch marks a significant moment for South Africa’s transport sector, particularly in road safety.
The TSL aims to be the premier research facility in Africa, dedicated to enhancing transport safety through innovative research, advanced technology, and multidisciplinary collaboration. The lab features a stationary driving simulator housed on the CSIR’s Scientia campus in Pretoria, as well as a vehicle equipped with sensors to collect data on driver behaviour and the environment on the road. The lab will also enable evidence-based policy-making aligned with South Africa’s National Road Safety Strategy 2016-2030, to work alongside continental bodies such as the Road Traffic Management Corporation and the Namibia Road Authority.
Keyter says South Africa is part of the consortium of nations that signed the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations members in 2015.
The aim was to halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents by 2030. According to Keyter it is highly unlikely that South Africa will achieve the goal if drastic measures aren’t taken.
Several factors contribute to road traffic accidents, including human error, inadequate infrastructure, vehicle defects and environmental conditions. Human factors, such as speeding, reckless driving, distracted driving (often due to cell phone usage) and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, are among the primary causes. Fatigue and lack of sleep impairing driver judgment and reaction times, also increasing the likelihood of accidents.
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