The luxury coach crash in South Africa in which 26 British tourists and their South African tour guide lost their lives on 27 September 1999 has understandably raised concerns amongst prospective tourists about their safety in the road passenger transport system while visiting South Africa.

This recent accident must be seen for the exception that it is. The transport by the luxury coach sector of tourists in South Africa has an excellent safety record underpinned by regulatory standards and operating procedures comparable with the best in the world.

These are the facts: -

Every year approximately 300 000 foreign tourists make use of luxury charter coaches in South Africa. In the past two years there have only been two accidents involving luxury coaches on charter to tourism services where tourists have lost their lives. The safety record of this sector is therefore comparable to the best in the world.

South Africa is renowned as having amongst the best quality national road networks in the developing world. Our national roads, connecting the major cities, are of the best in the world. A survey of returning tourists and international tour operators conducted by the Department of Transport in 1997 showed that road conditions were rated as one of the defining positive experiences of tourists in South Africa.

All of the major tour operators into South Africa have stringent conditions that they apply in the selection of companies to operate transport services. Safety is the number one issue in these policies.

The top five luxury coach operators (Spingbok Atlas, Elwierda, Unitrans, ProTours and InterCape) in the charter tourism market (who jointly operate 90% of the tourism charter market), all have a policy where safety is non-negotiable. Safety policy in all cases covers the full range of issues involved in safety.

The Department of Transport conducted a survey of safety policy in these companies in September 1999 and found that all companies comply with regulatory requirements, and in many areas operate at levels above the regulatory minimum.

Regulatory standards relating to drivers of luxury tour coach buses emphasise safety. In summary, these are:

• The driver must have passed both the practical and theoretical components of the standard "K53" testing which is comparable to the best in the world.
• The driver is required to be in possession of a Professional Driver Permit, which is renewed every two years subject to passing the specified test and a medical examination.

In general terms, company policies in the luxury tour coach market require additional compliance specifying levels of experience, background checks, personal road safety records, and ongoing positive performance evaluation and training.

The top five coach tour operators in South Africa all employ on-board computer systems known as the "CO-Driver" which, apart from monitoring all aspects of driver performance for evaluation purposes, effectively trains the driver on the road. This "training" occurs through the "Co-Driver" setting off warning buzzers at any time that the driver approaches and crosses over driving parameters such as speed, Revs-per-Minute, braking and acceleration rates.

Government and the bus industry having been co-operating over a number of years in setting the technical standards for all aspects of bus construction and components. These standards are established in Road Traffic legislation, regulations and through the manufacturing standards system regulated by the South African Bureau of Standards. These standards are world class and consistent with international trends. They are monitored and up-dated based on the findings of accident investigations. Recent additions to the standards include specifications regarding roll-over protection as well as well as for the construction and anchoring of bus seats.

All luxury coaches are subjected to the standard annual re-licensing regulation that requires the annual issuing of a Certificate of Fitness after a comprehensive physical check at a licensed vehicle-testing centre.

Steering, braking and tyre standards are amongst the specific focus areas within the testing process.

Luxury tour coach operators all operate in compliance with these standards, and have effective maintenance programmes, backed up by rigorous safety check procedures and monitoring systems to audit the safety check process on a regular basis.

In addition to pre-trip safety checks, these procedures require drivers to conduct safety checks on all vehicles during each and every break during a journey.

All of the top luxury coach tour operators have as standard equipment on buses cellular communication equipment, on-board computers and retarder systems that control bus speed at safe levels in downhill situations.

South Africa has a comprehensive road traffic safety system in place which creates an integrated approach to safety aspects ranging from driver and vehicle certification and testing, road signage, road user education and traffic law enforcement.

Recent developments to secure passenger safety even further through the speed limit for public transport vehicles having been lowered to 100 km/h with immediate effect, as well as a special programme of comprehensive vehicle fitness tests agreed as a special additional measure between the luxury tour coach industry and Government.

The agreed policy in this special programme is that any buses found wanting in the vehicle fitness tests will be "grounded" until such time as full compliance with regulation can be proven.

Government has been particularly encouraged by the manner in which the luxury tour coach industry and employee trade unions have responded with a collective effort to focus all efforts on securing the safety of their customers.

There is a national effort that puts safety first.

For specific information with respect to safety standards and policies, please consult the following sources: -

Senior General Manager: Policy, Strategy and Implementation

Web Site: http:\\www.transport.gov.za

The Department of Transport Road Traffic Management Division +27-12-309-3737

SA National Roads Agency Limited:

Web Site: http\\:www.nra.co.za

Telephone: +27-12-342-1301

COACH OPERATORS ASSOCATION OF SOUTH AFRICA (COASA)

+ 27-11-787 5863 (phone) +27-11-787 5898 (fax)

ELWIERDA (Stellenbosch) +27-21-418 4673 +27-21-418 4767

PROTOURS + 27-11-923 5050 +27-11-923 5544

INTERCAPE + 27-21-386 4444 +27-21-386 4455

SPRINGBOK ATLAS +27-21-460 4700 +27-21-4480003

UNITRANS +21-11-442 9180 +21-11-442 7737