The thought of our loved ones on the roads throughout South Africa’s notoriously busy freeways, highways and streets over the festive season is one that stirs a sense of worry, and rightfully so. That’s why we’ve put together these festive season road safety tips to get you to the other side.
South Africa’s December/January period brings about some of the most significant traffic the country sees all year – with people flocking from all around the country to stay in their favourite holiday destinations.
The good news is, South Africa saw a 2.3% decrease in road-related fatalities over the festive season according to data presented by the Festive Season Road Safety Report in 2023. Regardless of the decrease, there were still 1 184 fatal crashes recorded over the 2023/24 festive period.
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With your help, we can continue to decrease these numbers by being vigilant and educated about what goes on our roads and how to each take responsibility for our own actions. Here are a few more statistics to put things in perspective:
- 7 820 drivers were arrested for drunk driving, reckless driving, producing false documentation, and excessive speeding.
- Of road users who died last year due to fatal car crashes, 33.6% were passengers, 24.6% were drivers, a whopping 40.9% were pedestrians and 0.8% were cyclists.
Festive Season Road Safety Tips
Driving the distance
This is where the basics come into play:
- Wear your seatbelt. It seems insane that people still need reminding of the importance of this basic safety feature. Your seatbelt is what stops your body from being the first point of impact when you come into contact with another vehicle or solid mass. Who do you think is going to win between a concrete poll and a fleshy bag of bones? If we were betting men, we know where we would put our money.
- Angry drivers are not safe drivers. Expect the masses and adjust your temperament accordingly. There is no way for you to think clearly when your head is filled with rage over the mini cooper filled with newly licenced matrics who just cut you off. Breathe, turn up the tunes and keep your eyes and mind on the road.
- Do pre-season safety checks on your vehicle, especially your tyres and wheel alignment.
- Take a break every 2 hours (approximately every 200km) to ensure your energy levels and concentration are top tier. Driving fatigued is just as, if not more, dangerous than drunk driving.
Another helpful read: How to Jump Start a Car Safely: A Step-By-Step Guide
Have a beer, but steer clear
We aren’t sure how to make this any clearer: if you are drinking and getting behind the wheel, you’re kind of awful. Not only is it incredibly self-destructive, but it also shows little to no regard for the lives of the people around you. Plan ahead if you intend on drinking and make sure you have a place to stay or a sober lift home.
At the moment of writing this, the National Road Traffic Act allows drivers to get behind the wheel with alcohol in their system as long as it is less than 0.05g per 100ml blood – but the public of SA is calling for the legal limit to be set at zero percent.
Apart from the obvious dangers of drinking and driving, at Oneplan Insurance we will not insure any drivers who damage their vehicles with alcohol in their systems, leaving you in a very tricky financial and legal spot.
Walking the walk
40.9% of fatal crashes last year were caused by pedestrians. If you are not a car owner, staying safe on the roads during the upcoming season still applies to you.
Do not drink and walk (yes, you read that right). Drinking and walking make you unbalanced and disoriented, making you a hazard to drivers on small roads. Walk on well-lit roads with plenty of space for pedestrians.
Wear bright clothing and walk towards oncoming traffic. This means that you will walk on the right-hand side of the road (NOT on the actual road, but on the side). This makes it easier for oncoming traffic to see you and for you to see any oncoming cars.
If you are walking, let people know when you have left your destination and when you arrive home.
Read next: Why home insurance matters during the holidays – especially when you aren’t home
Ensure you are Insured
You’ve worked hard all year for your money – especially through the ups and downs that this year has put us through.
So naturally, nothing sounds more horrendous than having to spend your off time scrambling for funds to pay off an accident during December/January. With Oneplan Car and Household Insurance, getting insured is incredibly simple.
There are no vehicle inspections, all you need is to take a pic of your ride and upload it to the Oneplan App, where you can also decide how much you want to put towards your car insurance. And voila! You’re insured!
If this has piqued your interest in protecting yourself and your vehicle, click here to find out more about comprehensive car insurance.
We hope these festive season road safety tips get you through the holidays, and we wish you a safe and celebratory festive season.
Your Insurance Family,
Oneplan
