Written by Maselaelo Seshotle
South Africa celebrates Transport Month in October. Here are some tips from Vuk’uzenzele to help you stay safe on the road.
- Obey the speed limit.
- Do not use your cellphone while driving.
- Do not drink and drive.
- Ensure that the vehicle is roadworthy and maintain a safe following distance.
- Always wear a seat belt, whether you are the driver or the passenger, even when travelling short distances.
- Parents and caregivers must always secure children properly to reduce the risk of injury and/or death in the event of a crash.
- Parents are advised to select a car seat based on their child’s age and size and to avoid travelling with a child on their lap.
- Young children and infants should never be left unattended in a car.
- Parents need to teach children safe traffic behaviour from an early age to keep them safe.
Pedestrians should:
- Wear bright colours at all times.
- Obey traffic signals.
- Cross at pedestrian crossings.
- Not drink and cross the road.
- Not cross where a road bends or leads to a sharp curve.
- Avoid wearing headsets and talking on the phone while crossing the road.
Cyclists should
- Motorcycles provide almost no protection in a crash, so it is advisable for motorcyclists to wear protective, visible and reflective clothing.
- Motorcyclists should also keep their headlights on, avoid other vehicles’ blind spots and be cautious of dangerous road conditions.
- Cyclists and motorists must be selfless and share the road safely. Cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as drivers.
- Those using bicycles should make use of pedal cycle lanes where these are available and keep as close to the left edge of the road as possible.
- Cyclists should also obey the traffic signs and signals, use hand signals when turning or changing lanes, wear a helmet that fits properly and never ride with headphones on.
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