XN000022-1991-06-30 — Page 5

SUNDAY, JUNE 30, 1991

$50.6M PAID TO TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS

THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT (SWD) PAID OUT

MORE THAN $50.6 MILLION FROM THE TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS ASSISTANCE (TAVA) FUND то TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS OR THEIR DEPENDENTS IN 1989-90.

ACCORDING TO THE 1989-90 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TAVA FUND BY THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, 6,134 APPLICATIONS FOR ASSISTANCE WERE RECEIVED IN THE PERIOD, REPRESENTING A DECREASE OF 2.5 PER CENT AS COMPARED WITH 6,289 APPLICATIONS IN 1988-89.

THE TAVA SECTION OF THE SWD HANDLED 31 SERIOUS TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN THE YEAR IN WHICH HEAVY CASUALTIES WERE INVOLVED.

THE ACCIDENT RESULTING IN THE LARGEST NUMBER OF CASUALTIES OCCURRED ON JULY 30, 1989 AT TAI TAM ROAD, WHICH INVOLVED THREE BUSES. DURING THE MISHAP, 80 PEOPLE WERE INJURED AND 34 OF THEM WERE FOUND ELIGIBLE FOR ASSISTANCE. A TOTAL AMOUNT OF ABOUT $156,800 WAS AUTHORISED FOR PAYMENT TO THE VICTIMS.

THE TAVA SCHEME, IN OPERATION SINCE MAY 1979, 18 ONE OF THE SWD ADMINISTERED SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEMES. IT AIMS ΤΟ PROVIDE SPEEDY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS, OR THEIR SURVIVING DEPENDENT FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE CASE OF DEATH, REGARDLESS OF THE MEANS OF THE FAMILY OR THE ELEMENT OF FAULT IN CAUSING THE ACCIDENT.

TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR ASSISTANCE, AN APPLICATION MUST BE MADE WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF THE ACCIDENT, WHICH MUST HAVE BEEN REPORTED ΤΟ THE POLICE.

IN THE CASE OF INJURY NOT CAUSING DEATH, AN APPLICANT MUST BE CERTIFIED BY A REGISTERED MEDICAL PRACTITIONER ΤΟ REQUIRE AT LEAST THREE DAYS' SICK LEAVE.

BENEFICIARIES UNDER THE SCHEME STILL RETAIN THE RIGHT то MAKE CLAIMS FOR LEGAL DAMAGES OR COMPENSATION FROM OTHER SOURCES IN THE USUAL WAY.

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THOSE WHO RECEIVE OTHER DAMAGES OR COMPENSATION IN RESPECT THE SAME TRAFFIC ACCIDENT ARE REQUIRED ΤΟ REPAY THE AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE THEY HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED FROM THE SCHEME, BUT IN ANY CASE THE AMOUNT TO BE REPAID SHALL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGES OR COMPENSATION AWARDED.

APPLICATION CAN BE MADE BITHER IN PERSON OR THROUGH THE POST.

SPECIFIED APPLICATION PORMS ARE OBTAINABLE AT THE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION SECTIONS OF THE POLICE DISTRICT TRAFFIC FORMATIONS, DISTRICT OFFICES OF THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION, AND THE SWD'S TAVA SECTION AT 15 WATSON ROAD, VICTORIA CENTRE, FIRST FLOOR, CAUSEWAY BAY.

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