Road Safety Lessons: In the Wake of the Fatal Accident in Renca

Reflections by Pedro Garcia, General Manager of MIGTRA:

On Thursday, February 19, a truck carrying gas that, according to initial investigations, was traveling at excessive speed, overturned causing a large explosion and subsequent fire. The result so far: 13 fatalities, a large number of injured, considerable damages and a questioning of road safety, also causing harm to the industry, which in this case will face greater restrictions.

That is why I believe it is necessary to share some reflections:

• ✅ While traffic accidents involving work vehicles are not very frequent, the consequences can be very negative, and it is only after they occur that the companies involved ask themselves whether something more could have been done. Taking preventive actions is key to not having to discuss these issues or take measures after people's lives are involved. We must have zero tolerance for risky behaviors.
• ✅ It is precisely speeding accidents that cause the most deaths in Chile, and yet many companies have preferred to manage this risk alongside others, as if the consequences were the same.
• ✅ A safe vehicle is one driven with a RAEV 100 below 5 (MIGTRA algorithm endorsed by CONASET and the Automobile Club of Chile to quantify the level of risk from speeding, considering: event duration, location, cargo, highway, speed limit, among others).
• ✅ Investing in prevention costs less than the costs generated by an accident, where damage, insurance and even reputational costs must be covered.

Let's go back to basics, let's prevent speeding accidents with what we know works:

1. 1. Let's identify all speeding events for all drivers throughout their entire journey.
2. 2. Let's manage each driver based on the RAEV risk they generate during each working day, using best practices.
3. 3. Let's have an incentive and penalty matrix, clear and consistent with the risk of this type of accident.