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THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 1982
TRAFFIC ACCIDENT SCHEME IMPROVED
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SEVERAL IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS ASSISTANCE SCHEME (TAVA) ADMINISTERED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.
THE SEVEN-DAY SICK LEAVE QUALIFICATION HAS BEEN RELAXED TO A THREE-DAY REQUIREMENT FOR INJURY CASES, TO ENABLE MORE TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS SUSTAINING MINOR INJURIES TO QUALIFY FOR ASSISTANCE UNDER THE SCHEME.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE LEVEL OF PAYMENTS HAS BEEN RAISED BY 35 PER CENT IN LINE WITH THE INCREASE IN PAYMENT RATES UNDER THE EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND PAYMENT SCHEDULE, WHICH CAME INTO EFFECT LAST MONTH.
FROM MAY 1 THIS YEAR, LEVIES ON VEHICLE AND DRIVING LICENCES WHICH GO INTO THE TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS ASSISTANCE FUND WILL BE REDUCED BY 60 PER CENT.
THIS MEANS THAT FOR VEHICLE LICENCES, THE LEVY WILL BE REDUCED FROM $75 TO $30 A YEAR AND THAT FOR DRIVING LICENCES, THE LEVY WILL BE CUT FROM $25 TO $10 PER YEAR.
THE REVISED LEVIES WERE ADOPTED BY RESOLUTION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY).
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THESE MEASURES WERE INTRODUCED TO ENSURE A BALANCED POSITION BETWEEN REVENUE AND PAYMENTS UNDER THE SCHEME.
+SINCE THE SCHEME WAS IMPLEMENTED ON MAY 1, 1979, IT HAS BECOME APPARENT THAT THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE OF EXPENDITURE ON IT IS EXCESSIVE, HE SAID.
+THE APPLICATION RATE FOR ASSISTANCE AGAINST THE NUMBER OF TRAFFIC CASUALTIES REPORTED TO THE POLICE HAS ALSO BEEN LOWER THAN ORIGINALLY ESTIMATED.+
BETWEEN MAY 1979 AND MARCH 1980 THERE WERE 3 832 APPLICATIONS (OR 21.1 PER CENT) AGAINST 18 128 TOTAL CASUALTIES AND BETWEEN APRIL 1980 AND MARCH 1981, 4 964 APPLICATIONS (OR 23 PER CENT) WERE RECEIVED AGAINST 21 556 REPORTED CASUALTIES.
REFERRING TO THE RELAXATION OF THE SEVEN-DAY SICK LEAVE REQUIREMENT TO A THREE-DAY QUALIFICATION, THE SPOKESMAN NOTED THAT BETWEEN MAY 1979 AND MARCH 1980, OUT OF A TOTAL OF 194 APPLICATIONS REJECTED, 129 (OR 66.5 PER CENT) WERE DUE TO THE FACT THAT SICK LEAVE WHICH THE INJURED PARTY WAS GIVEN WAS LESS THAN SEVEN DAYS.
, DET,EEN AIL