How you can do your part in keeping South African roads safe
Whether you’ve had your licence for years or you’re a newbie on the roads (congratulations), we can all do with a little brush up on safe driving practices from time to time.
We don’t need to go into much detail about the thrill (gripping fear) of driving on some South African roads. Massive trucks on the highway, out-of-the-blue potholes and reckless drivers are what we’re dealing with, which is why it’s up to you to take responsibility for how you drive.
When we talk about expert driving techniques, it sounds fancier than it is. We aren’t asking you to bust any manoeuvres or spontaneously wheely to avoid collision – we’re asking you to drive like a reasonable, responsible person.
Discover: 5 Things to Do When You’re Stuck in Traffic: The Bored Driver’s Guide
Safe driving practices you should always follow
Stay focused
Remember when you first started driving and you were a law-abiding citizen who was super conscious of road safety regulations?
Now, we aren’t asking you to be a nervous teenage driver because experience does make you better, but it also makes you lazy. Suddenly we’re driving whilst applying lipstick and dancing like both hands in the air to our favourite morning jam. Both hands on the wheel and eyes on the road, people!
If there’s one rule of the road people have seemed to conveniently forget: being on your phone whilst driving is illegal. It is also very, very dangerous. You may be able to multitask like a mamba at work, but save it for the office and keep it off the roads.
Don’t drink and drive
This isn’t a technique, it’s the law. It’s crazy we need to even put this in here but from what we’ve seen, people aren’t afraid of stepping behind the wheel after a night out. Your driving abilities are immediately compromised and no amount of defensive driving knowledge or advanced driving courses will make a difference.
Also, your insurance won’t cover you for any accidents involving drinking and driving. It’s a no go for us.
Be a defensive driver
Not an aggressive one. Aggressive driving is a leading cause of accidents and we can see it when people speed, overtake irresponsibly or drive far too close to other cars. Defensive driving is the opposite of being the worst person on the road. It means preparing for any possible dangerous outcomes and putting safe practices in place to avoid them.
This means keeping a safe following distance to allow for adequate braking time. It also means being patient behind slower moving vehicles instead of recklessly switching between lanes. Everybody is trying to get somewhere, so drive considerately.
Read this: Top Tips for Avoiding Pothole Damage: The South African Driver’s Guide
Be three steps ahead
Safe driving is all about knowing what other people are doing on the road. You can’t control the way other people drive but you can do your best to anticipate what may happen. Don’t always assume people are actually going to stop at the stop sign – check to see if they seem to be slowing down and slow down yourself.
The same applies to indicators. Who knows? Maybe that indicator has been blinking since 25km ago because the driver is lost in thought.
The three-second rule
The three-second rule is put in place to allow you enough time to react if you need to. SmartMotorist shared this effective technique. Here’s how you do it:
- Find a stationary focus point in the distance.
- Once the car in front of you has passed the object, count three seconds.
- At least three seconds should pass before your vehicle passes the same object.
Maintenance is safety
Being safe on the road means making your car is 100% before you get on the road. You should be aware of the state of your car at all times through regular services and going through regular safety checks at home. Make sure your tyres, oil, brakes, battery and fluids are all up to standard.
Related: 3 reasons why you should never drive on an empty fuel tank
Bonus tip: keep your finances safe
If you’re on the roads, you need to be insured. It’s as simple as that. The sooner you understand and come to terms with paying your monthly premium for quality, comprehensive car insurance, the better.
Owning a car is expensive and on top of regular services and maintenance, you need to take into account that accidents do happen. Accidents also tend to involve other cars that may not be insured, so the costs can fall to you. We can help out with that side of things with cover that includes R2.5 million third party liability cover.
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