Road tripping for Easter? Here is what you need to know
We are a driving-loving nation, and when it comes to racing down to the coast or to the mountains for some much-needed rest, we usually choose the family car over a flight. So with many of you gearing up for the open road, here are a few things to keep in mind to ensure you stay safe on the journey ahead.
Potholes
Obviously you know to keep an eye out for potholes, and by now you are likely well-versed in the ‘quick right, quick left and back on the straight and narrow’ driving technique to avoid these pesky craters. But I want to remind you that the first quarter has been very wet, especially in northern regions like Mpumalanga and Gauteng. This means that there will likely be more obstacles on your drive than expected, so ensure that you aren't tired behind the wheel and maintain a good following distance.
Following distances
At the risk of sounding like your mother a month after you got your licence, maintaining a safe following distance is one of the best tools to stay safe on the road. A good following distance is anything over two seconds behind the car in front in the dry, and increase this to four seconds when the roads are wet. This allows for more reaction time, and time is your friend. It also gives you more time to slow down without slamming on the brakes and making a new friend with the driver behind you now buried in your rear bumper.
It's not a race
I am confident that many of you will agree on this topic. But the national highway isn’t a racetrack, so no, 160km/h isn’t an optimal speed, especially when there is other traffic around. Also, trucks overrun our roads and can be a frustration when your ETA rises by a minute or two. But that doesn’t mean that the four cars also waiting for a safe opportunity to overtake are any less important or less frustrated than you are. So wait your turn and overtake when it's safe. Who cares if you're five minutes behind schedule for your holiday?
If you doubt it, don’t do it!
A growing trend on our roads is risk-taking. Whether it's cutting through traffic to save a minute or two or becoming frustrated with trucks battling what appears to be endless turns and solid white lines. It’s a risk that can be avoided through practising patience, and it’s one that has forced even me to drive into the hard shoulder, if there is one, to avoid an overly confident oncoming car. A good rule of thumb is if you aren’t sure, don’t risk it. It’s a simple formula which should come with common sense, but as we all know, common sense isn’t as common as we might have once thought.
You might be ready, but is your car?
At the end of the day, you might think you are a safe driver, but your car is your vessel. Anything could happen below the surface of your vehicle, so get it serviced before you travel if it's been a while since your last oil change. Also check that you have sufficient brake pads left and make sure your tyres have a good amount of tread. Yes, you might have excellent reaction times, but if your car can’t respond to your inputs, it's useless.
It's wet out there
As I mentioned before, our weather is a bit all over the place at the moment, so it is likely that you will encounter some heavy rain and tricky conditions. An easy way to be safe in the wet is to increase your following distance, slow down even more before the corners, and ensure you are seen at all times by using your headlights. If you really can’t see, put your hazards on. If you are feeling scared or uncomfortable, take a break and wait it out. Nobody will judge you for being safe. At the end of the day everybody is trying to get somewhere, so be mindful and don’t risk it.
A road trip is a good way to take in the countryside and make memories with your family, and with increasingly worrying accident reports from around South Africa, it's important to sweat the small stuff. Most accidents can be avoided by paying attention and adhering to safe practices. No, this doesn’t mean you should drive to Cape Town without exceeding 60km/h because that too is dangerous. So, keep a good, consistent speed; maintain a good following distance; and don’t take risks. All of which makes for a fun holiday away. Be safe and enjoy it.
.jpg)
