The Cabinet has approved the principles of the Road Accident Fund Bill, which seeks to provide appropriate emergency care, medical assistance, and funeral support for victims of road traffic accidents.
The fund will be primarily financed through motor vehicle insurance premiums, along with additional resources allocated by the Treasury.
This was announced by the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Jenfan Muswere, during a post-Cabinet briefing held in Harare on Tuesday, 3 June.
Minister Muswere said that the Road Accident Fund also seeks to address shortcomings in the current post-accident management systems used by insurance companies. He said:
Cabinet received and approved the Principles of the Road Accident Fund Bill.
The main objective of the Road Accident Fund Bill, which will emerge from the Principles, is to reduce deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents by 2030 through access to safe, affordable and sustainable transport systems as well as improving road safety for all.
The Road Accident Fund Bill seeks to address the current post-accident management framework, with the existing insurance packages lacking provision for immediate evacuation of accident survivors to medical facilities.
Emergency services providers are reluctant to provide medical services in instances when payment for service is not guaranteed.
The current liability cover is inadequate to cater for medical and funeral expenses. The Road Accident Fund will place greater focus on enhanced responsiveness to post-crash emergencies in order to improve the ability of health and related systems to offer appropriate emergency treatment and longer-term rehabilitation for accident victims.
The Fund will provide immediate recourse to medical and funeral expenses, and enhance the capacity of emergency services providers and medical institutions to effectively respond to road accidents to save lives.
The Road Accident Fund will be funded from Motor Vehicle Insurance premiums and any other such funds appropriated by Treasury.
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