RAF: Investing in Safer Roads for All

Road safety is more than just a matter of rules and regulations—it’s about people, their wellbeing, and the choices we make to ensure every journey ends safely. This understanding lies at the heart of the RAF Driver Wellness Programme, which returns in 2025 with renewed commitment and expanded impact.

A Strategic Investment in Safer Roads

Funded by the Road Accident Fund (RAF) and implemented by The Health Foundation (THF) and Guud Drivers, this initiative is set to run for the next 12 months, bringing comprehensive mobile health services directly to commercial drivers across South Africa. At its core, the programme is designed to prevent road accidents before they happen—by addressing driver health issues that compromise safety on our roads.

The link between driver wellness and accident prevention is clear. When drivers neglect their health, conditions such as vision impairments, hypertension, obesity, and fatigue can significantly affect their ability to react swiftly and remain alert behind the wheel. Poor driver health doesn’t just impact individuals—it leads to increased road accidents, which in turn drive up RAF claim volumes and place financial strain on the system. Investing in proactive healthcare solutions for drivers is a powerful way to curb accidents, save lives, and reduce the number of claims RAF must process.

Health on Wheels: How the Programme Works

The Mobile Assessment Centres (MACs) offer a turnkey solution, equipped to provide:
✔ Comprehensive medical assessments – including optometry screenings to detect vision issues that could hinder safe driving.
✔ Telemedicine consultations – offering direct access to doctors who can issue National Medical Certificates (NMCs) for Professional Driving Permit (PrDP) renewals.
✔ On-site optometry services – enabling drivers to receive prescription spectacles and optometry certificates to streamline PrDP applications.
✔ Road safety education & wellness advocacy – helping drivers understand how their health choices affect their ability to drive safely.
✔ RAF claim support stations – ensuring administrative assistance is readily available to the public.

With three fully operational mobile units, the programme is expanding its reach across all provinces, ensuring that more drivers receive the support they need while making South Africa’s roads safer for everyone.

Measurable Impact Since Inception

Since launching in 2022, the RAF Driver Wellness Programme has achieved significant milestones:
📍 Over 16,000 drivers assessed
📍 More than 3,000 spectacles issued
📍 88% of PrDP applicants successfully obtained their required documentation
📍 Health data revealed high rates of hypertension and obesity—both major risk factors in driving-related incidents
📍 Common vision impairments identified—hypermetropia (farsightedness) and astigmatism—that can severely affect driving performance

These findings reinforce RAF’s role in proactively reducing accident risks, instead of simply responding to them through claims processing. With continued investment, we are shaping a future where wellness and safety go hand in hand.

RAF: Investing in Safer Roads for All

As highlighted at TT25’s Annual Transforming Transportation Conference, the importance of cross-sector collaboration in tackling road safety challenges cannot be overstated. RAF’s commitment to driver wellness as a preventative strategy stands as a model for impactful, evidence-based solutions. The RAF Driver Wellness Programme is not a cost—it’s an investment in human lives, business efficiency, and the future of transport in South Africa. With the next rollout beginning in May 2025, we look forward to seeing more drivers empowered, more accidents prevented, and fewer claims needing resolution. Because at the end of the day, a healthy driver is a safer driver—and safer roads benefit us all