MOTORING NEWS - South Africans spend a lot of time on the road. Whether travelling to and from work in a car, commuting via public transport, riding a bike, or as pedestrians - we're on the road every day, says the Automobile Association (AA). This is one of the main reasons they argue we need to work towards fostering mutual respect and responsibility on the road during travelling.
The association gives these five tips to make our roads safer:
• Don't use a cellphone while travelling. This is by far the easiest to implement, but also the most ignored of all. Whether you're driving or walking, put that phone away and concentrate on the road and surroundings.
• Be aware of the surroundings. If you're on the road, look out for cars, cyclists, motorcycles and pedestrians, especially at night. Look out for objects lying on the road such as shredded tyres or items that may have fallen off the backs of vehicles.
• Pay attention behind the wheel. Distracting behaviour include applying make-up, eating or changing radio stations. Check blind spots, especially when changing lanes.
• Respect the speed limit. In general, they are 60km on urban roads; 80km on rural roads and 120km on highways. Ignoring the speed limit puts lives at risk and affects reaction time. There is a lot less time to brake in time.
• Be smart, don't take silly risks. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, not wearing a seat belt (even as a passenger) and not using child car seats or child restraints are risks that should be avoided.
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