Did you know that after murder, road accidents are the main cause of unnatural deaths in South Africa? South-East Asia and Africa have the highest rates of road deaths in the world.
The Medical Research Council reports that the death toll on SA roads is even worse than we were led to believe. In fact, road deaths in 2012 were underreported by about 20%. This is all the more reason for all of us to reconsider our road behaviour.
Follow these tips to improve road safety:
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- Do not exceed the speed limit. Not only do you endanger your own life, those of your passengers and the lives of others using the same road, but you may also incur a fine or even be thrown in jail
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- Maintain a safe following distance at all times. Allow for at least a three second gap between you and the vehicle in front of you, and increase the distance to six seconds in bad weather conditions
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- Be aware of emergency vehicles – pull over or change lanes for them to pass safely
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- Never drink and drive
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- Pay attention to changing weather conditions as they will affect the road surface. Be sure to slow down if the road is wet or covered in debris
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- Make early decisions on accelerating and braking and signal your intentions clearly and timeously when changing lanes or pulling over to the side of the road. Indicate at least 30 meters before changing lanes to ensure that other vehicles take note
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- Expect the unexpected and beware of road rage – your own and that of other motorists. Think about how you would react in a variety of unfavourable situations and remember to stay calm
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- Driving at night requires more concentration and skill than driving at daytime as vision is restricted. Oncoming headlights can obscure your vision and therefore you should maintain a longer following distance
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- Avoid using your cell phone when driving; have a hands-free kit available if the call is unavoidable • Wear a good pair of sunglasses in sunny weather to reduce glare.
Source
http://en.wikipedia.org
http://www.arrivealive.co.za
Life Assist