We're NUMBER ONE ... unfortunately

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Sun 25 May 2003 15:37
We're NUMBER ONE ... unfortunately - Ian (Cape Town)
From the local press - FRIGHTENING statistics ... and probably all true.
South Africa's road death toll is more than double what the department of transport says it is.

The department reported that the road traffic death toll for 2000 was 7 635, but the MRC has calculated that the figure was closer to 18 000.

While transport department statistics report 7 635 road accident fatalities in 2000, the department of home affairs reports 17 045.

The MRC calculated 18 443.

"I shudder to think that the MRC information is correct," said Gary Ronald, an AA spokesperson. "It would put us as the number one [road death] country in the world."

"It seems too high. Then government is not succeeding in any of its programmes."

Gerrie Botha, the national standards and guidelines manager for the department of transport, said the government had never had figures as high as the MRC estimate, "and we've got figures all the way from 1930".
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Sun 25 May 2003 16:33
We're NUMBER ONE ... unfortunately - Pugugly {P}
Makes you wonder about the UK. A certain Police Force who champion Speed Cameras don't now release fatal stats as they once did, they combine (invisibly) them with the serious injury stats and then bleat about how well the cameras have brought these down. (Rant mode off)
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Sun 25 May 2003 19:53
We\'re NUMBER ONE ... unfortunately - Nortones2
Whether you die or are just damaged is a thin dividing line sometimes. In South Africa, I imagine a lot of people use shanks pony. Hence, high death rates. No doubt there are other aspects. In the UK country lanes have become the preserve of commuters; woe betide non conformists on foot or cycle. Thats why there aren\'t many: too frightened by the 1.5 ton lemmings. So there isn\'t a problem here on road deaths (so some say) except that mums buy 2 ton trucks to preserve their offspring, clogging the roads and pavements, inciting others aspire to similar armament. Counter-rant ends.
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