Pedestrian RAF Claims: Information That Can Help Your Assessment

An accident involving a pedestrian can happen during an ordinary walk to work, a trip to the shops or the short distance between public transport and home. Afterwards, the injured person may know very little about the vehicle involved. That uncertainty should be explained at the beginning of an enquiry, rather than treated as a reason to abandon it.

A pedestrian may have a Road Accident Fund claim if the circumstances meet the legal requirements. The fact that a vehicle struck someone does not settle every question about liability, but neither does uncertainty about the driver's conduct prevent an initial assessment.

Start with the place and sequence of events

Write down where you were walking, the direction you were moving and where the vehicle approached from. Useful landmarks include an intersection, shop, bus stop, pedestrian crossing or nearby street number. A simple sketch can help explain the scene without requiring technical measurements.

Separate what you remember from what someone else later told you. If you lost consciousness or cannot remember the impact, record the last thing you recall and the first thing you remember afterwards. Medical and witness evidence may help fill gaps, but those gaps should never be disguised.

Preserve identifying information

Keep any vehicle registration, driver contact details and police accident reference. A partial registration or photograph may still help, so retain the original rather than editing it to make the information appear clearer. Record where the information came from and who supplied it.

If the driver left the scene, say so immediately. Claims involving an unidentified driver or owner can have different requirements and shorter deadlines. Do not assume that the same timetable applies to every pedestrian accident, or wait until all the vehicle details have been found before enquiring.

Witnesses and nearby cameras

A witness who saw the impact may help explain the movements of the pedestrian and vehicle. Keep that person's name and a reliable contact number, noting whether they saw the accident itself or only arrived afterwards. These are different forms of evidence.

If a nearby business, residence or public facility may have camera footage, record its location promptly. Footage may be overwritten. Do not put yourself at risk returning to a busy road, confront anyone or publish allegations online while trying to gather evidence.

Explain the injuries in everyday terms

Keep the names of the ambulance service and treatment facilities, together with admission and discharge dates. Preserve medical certificates, treatment instructions and subsequent appointment records. If injuries affect walking, standing, commuting or carrying items, explain the practical difficulty using specific examples.

Also record any missed work, reduced hours or assistance needed at home. A short factual diary can help organise the history, especially when appointments occur at different facilities. It should support the medical records rather than replace them or attempt to diagnose an injury.

An enquiry does not require a perfect file

It is common to have some information missing after a frightening accident. Start with the date, location, known vehicle details and treatment history. List what is unavailable and whether someone else may hold it. This gives an adviser a practical starting point for assessing the case and the relevant deadlines.

GCM Legal can help assess a possible pedestrian RAF claim through this website. You can leave your name and number for contact, or use the full questionnaire to provide a more detailed account. A website submission is an enquiry and does not itself lodge a claim with the RAF.

Sources: Road Accident Fund Act 56 of 1996, as amended, sections 17, 23 and 24 (South African Government; SAFLII consolidated legislation). Road Accident Fund Regulations, regulation 2; Jones v Road Accident Fund [2018] ZAGPPHC 661. Checked 28 October 2026.

Hero photograph: Pexels photo 10161890, pexels.com/photo/10161890/, used under the Pexels licence. Illustrative stock image; any people shown are not presented as clients, staff or parties to an accident.