An accident is an unexpected event which occurs without deliberate cause but marked with effects.
The purpose of The Road Traffic Management Corporation Crash Investigation Unit is to perform technical investigations of all major, fatal and serious injury crashes that happen within the roads of South Africa. Usually the investigations are conducted with the purpose of looking at the crash occurrence and future prevention measures. The recommendations for the investigation are aligned with road traffic safety education and engineering, law enforcement interventions, as well as monitoring and evaluation.
The criteria for the investigation is as follows:
- five (5) or more people died;
- crash involving vehicles carrying dangerous goods or hazardous chemicals where there is a fatality and a spillage of the dangerous goods or hazardous chemicals;
- lastly, a crash that the Corporation deems necessary to investigate, especially for research purposes.
The unit also plays a significant function of representing the Corporation at The Road Incident Management Systems (RIMS) at the national, provincial and local spheres of government. In addition, the Unit supports other units within the corporation with road safety education workshops and presentations; crash scene simulation exhibitions and displays as well as crash investigation training and development.