Martin Endjala
The Motor Vehicle Accident Fund’s (MVA) Chief Executive Officer, Rosalia Martins-Hausiku said the Fund is concerned by the high number of young people aged between 18 to 35 who lost their lives in road accidents during 2023.
Martins-Hausiku speaking was during the bi-annual media engagement last week in Windhoek.
She said young people make up the highest number of the Namibian population which is 71 percent as announced last week by the Namibian Statistic Agency, and the likelihood of them getting involved in road crashes is high.
The CEO said the statistics of crashes involving that demographic were high and it’s a cause for concern. Highlighting that Namibia continues to lose young productive people in the prime of their youth to road crashes.
This she believes has and will continue to have an impact on the nation’s economy.
According to her, crash statistics collected by the Fund indicate that for the year 2023, the regions with the highest crashes are Khomas, Erongo, Oshana, Otjozondjupa and Oshikoto.
A comparison between 2022 and 2023 indicates that Kavango West experienced a concerning 50 percent surge in crashes, followed by Kunene with a close 42 percent increase.
On a positive note, during the same period, the Ohangwena Region witnessed a 27 percent decline in crashes involving young people between the ages of 18-35 years.
In terms of Injuries, the same five regions that account for the highest crashes also accounted for the top regions with the highest injuries (Khomas, Erongo, Oshana, Otjozondjupa and Oshikoto).
For the same age group (18-35) between 2022 and 2023, Omaheke recorded the highest increase in injuries at 34 percent followed by Omusati with a 33 percent increase whilst Kavango East saw a decline of 20 percent in injuries. Overall injuries increased by one percent from 2022 to 2023.
Additionally, for 2023 the regions with the highest fatalities are the same as crashes and fatalities. A comparison of 2022 and 2023 shows that Oshikoto observed an increase of 38 percent, while Kavango East saw a 56 percent decline in fatalities.
On a lighter note, there was a decline of 22 percent in fatalities from 2022 to 2023. The CEO revealed that males account for the highest number of those involved in crashes, injuries and fatalities.
During the period under review (2022 – 2023) for the ages 18 – 35, it was noted that females experienced a 36 percent whilst males even though they are still the highest contributory group, also experienced a decline in fatalities of 19 percent.
Martins-Hausiku argued that the disparity in injury trends between genders underscores the need for relevant road safety engagements and interventions with males of this age group.
“Road traffic crashes among the youth not only result in the loss of lives but also impose a heavy economic burden on the nation. Each crash entails costs, not to mention the social cost of the pain of those left behind and those left to care for the seriously injured, grief and suffering of families and also have a huge impact on the nation,” said Martins-Hausiku.
On average on an annual basis, the Fund spends about N$200 million on medical expenses, and to date, the Fund spent N$168 Million in medical expenses and N$72 million in other claims such as funeral, loss of income, and loss of support during the year under review ending 31 March 2024.
It has been observed that Fridays to Sundays are the peak of crashes with Wednesday also showing a notable peak in the middle of the week.
Most crashes occur during the early evening hours from 16h00 to 19h59 throughout to late evening from 20h00 to 21h59.
Private vehicles accounted for at least 70 percent of vehicles reported whereas public vehicles accounted for only 10 percent of vehicles reported and the remaining 20 percent of vehicles reported are for official use.
During the same period, 4065 vehicles were involved in crashes, a three percent reduction from 2022. Sedans accounted for 45 percent of all vehicles involved in crashes, with pickups accounting for 31 percent.
She stated that there is a need to make road safety a personal priority to ensure they save the lives of young people and all road users.
