A road accident involving pedestrians can be a frightening situation, but it is important to remain as calm as possible and follow the correct procedures for the safety of all parties involved.
TopAuto reached out to Naked Insurance for more information on what to do in the event of a vehicle accident involving pedestrians.
What to do
The Road Traffic Act of 1996 requires a driver to stop their vehicle immediately following an accident, and those who drive away from the scene are liable to fines and possible jail time.
The first thing the driver should do in an accident situation is to assess whether the pedestrian is injured and immediately contact emergency services using 10177 or 112 from a cellphone, said Ernest North, co-founder of Naked Insurance.
The police must also be notified to come to the scene of the accident, and you must contact your insurance provider to tell it what happened.
“If a person was harmed in the accident, you will need to wait on the scene until a traffic or police officer says you can go,” said North.
“If a person was injured, you are legally obliged to help the injured party.”
While the driver is not expected to be versed in medical aid, you can still assist the injured party by limiting their exposure to further harm, such as moving them out of the road.
The vehicle should not be moved with the exception of instances where it is blocking the road or is still posing a risk to other motorists. Towing services and other cars must be instructed to leave the vehicle where it is, otherwise they will be in contravention of the Road Traffic Act.
You will also need to exchange contact details with the others involved in the accident, as well as any eyewitnesses.
Naked noted that collisions involving animals likely to be owned by another party, such as livestock or a pet, also require the driver to stop.
Driving away without stopping in these situations can also lead to fines and even jail time, however, you are not required to stop in cases involving wild animals such as birds or monkeys, it said.
Insurance claims
Motorists should receive a police case number from the authorities on the scene, however, it is also possible to report the incident to the nearest police station to get a case number, said North.
With a case number, you will be able to claim from your insurance provider in the event your vehicle or another party’s property is damaged.
This includes other vehicles, private property, and state and municipal-owned property such as road signs or traffic lights. Any damage to another party’s property should be reported to your insurer.
However, insurance generally does not cover physical damage to a person, which is where the Road Accident Fund (RAF) comes in.
Any personal injuries, death, medical costs, or loss of income caused by the accident is covered by the RAF.
It is the injured person’s responsibility, or their estate’s in case of their death, to claim from the RAF, so you don’t have to notify anybody in this regard, beyond your responsibility at the scene, said North.
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