As December approaches and the final plans are set for the festive holiday season, South Africans need to be mindful of road safety ahead of their journeys. Simple vehicle maintenance and quick checks at home can ensure a safe and happy journey to your destination of choice.
Holiday seasons often make the headlines for the wrong reasons; road accidents and death tolls are reported and compared to previous years. Avoid being part of these statistics this year by using a simple five-point checklist to make your travels as safe as possible. Getting to a holiday destination is exciting, but make sure you get home safely too.
1. Prepare your vehicle beforehand
If your car is due for its annual service, book it in a couple of weeks before your journey. This will give the maintenance engineers more time to fix any major issues that they may discover without affecting your travel arrangements. If your car is in working order, it’s still a good idea to have it checked quickly.
A day or two before you leave, take your vehicle to a service station and ask them to check the oil and water levels. Check the tyre pressures and don’t forget to check the spare tyre too. Make sure that you have all the necessary tools for your journey – jack, wheel spanners, jumper cables, reflective triangle and any spare parts you may need. Check your wiper blades and all the lights; these are essential if driving through the rain.
2. Prepare yourself too
Once your car is ready for the journey, make sure that you are too. Make sure you know the route, especially travelling through remote parts of the country where cell phone signal may be weak or non-existent. Use a navigation app where possible and plan your route before leaving – make sure that you know when to stop for food, fuel and stretch breaks.
Charge your cell phone fully before you leave and buy a car charger just in case the phone runs low on battery along the way. Tell your family or friends where you are going, what route you are taking and when you are expecting to arrive. Make sure that they have your contact details and that you have theirs. Keep them updated on your progress whenever you reach certain towns or landmarks.
3. Be alert and stay safe
Once you’re in the car and ready to go, buckle up and set off carefully. The excitement of a holiday can cause motorists to rush and take risks. Slow down, be vigilant and keep an eye out for other drivers on the roads. Safety is a shared responsibility with all road users, so play your part and be cautious at all times.
Keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front and if you are being tailgated, pull over and let them overtake. Never exceed the speed limit and scan the road for potential hazards. Avoid stopping on the side of a highway, unless you have a flat tyre or some other emergency. Avoid driving at night and if you feel tired, let someone else drive. Being sleepy is just as dangerous as being drunk.
4. Budget for the trip
Avoid being stranded on the road by carrying some extra cash with you. This will prevent you from getting stuck at toll gates or from running out of fuel mid-journey. Travelling long distances requires more fuel than you may think, so have enough money to pay for an extra fuel stop along the way, or for a toll gate that you may have forgotten about.
To get the most bang for your buck (in terms of fuel economy), drive at a moderate speed and avoid high revs on your engine. When stationary, put your car in neutral as this can lower the revs slightly. If travelling through remote areas, fill up some jerry cans with fuel and keep them as a backup.
5. Make the trip part of the holiday
Road trips can be fun, so make them a part of the holiday rather than a chore. Driving can be an enjoyable experience if you are travelling with family or friends. Avoid distractions but talk to your passengers while you drive – this will keep you awake and alert. Enjoy the journey to your favourite holiday destination this festive season. Relax, take it easy and make sure that you arrive safely.
Formex Industries is a metal forming and assembly company that supplies a variety of complex products to the local automotive industry and the export market. The company is based in the Nelson Mandela Bay metropole, South Africa’s foremost region for automotive manufacturing and export.
Formex specialises in producing components for the catalytic converter industry, as well as metal components and assemblies for the various vehicles. Formex is positioned as one of the foremost suppliers for the South African automotive industry by 2035, aligning itself with the South African Automotive Masterplan (SAAM) which takes effect in 2020.
Formex is a Level 2 B-BBEE supplier with over 80% black ownership, of which more than 40% are black women. The company is owned by Deneb Investments Limited – a subsidiary of Hosken Consolidated Investments Limited (HCI) – one of South Africa’s biggest true B-BBEE companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).
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