The Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI) has called for regular vehicle testing as South Africa continues to record close to 12 000 road deaths annually, with road crashes estimated to cost the economy about R205b a year. 

The call comes as South Africa observes Transport Month in October, with the organisation arguing that vehicle safety should form part of the country’s broader road safety strategy. 

According to the RMI, South Africa’s vehicle fleet is ageing, with the average vehicle estimated to be about 10.8 years old. 

RMI CEO Ipeleng Mabusela says regular assessment could help identify safety defects before they pose a risk to motorists, passengers and other road users. 

“We need to take a vehicle-first approach to road safety,” he adds. 

The RMI has advocated for the introduction of periodic vehicle testing as an additional road safety measure. 

Mabusela says vehicle safety must form part of the wider road safety conversation. 

“The road safety challenge is complex and there is no single solution, but the condition of the vehicle itself has to be part of the conversation,” he adds. 

According to the RMI, regular testing could help identify defects in vehicles already on the road and provide an additional layer of protection for motorists and other road users. 

Evolving technology demands updated technical skills 

The organisation notes that the skills needed to maintain and repair vehicles are changing as technology advances. 

Modern vehicles increasingly use advanced driver assistance systems, complex electronic control systems and electric and alternative powertrains, requiring technicians to continually update their skills. 

“You cannot have safe vehicles without skilled people maintaining and repairing them,” Mabusela says. 

The RMI and its seven associations support skills development and professionalisation in the automotive aftermarket, while promoting standards and compliance among automotive businesses. 

Mabusela says collaboration between the transport and automotive sectors is increasingly important as vehicle technology changes. 

“For an industry undergoing such rapid technological change, collaboration is increasingly important,” he says. 

He adds that Transport Month should focus on what happens beyond October. 

“Every vehicle carries more than a driver. It carries families, employees, customers and communities.” 

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