Road safety tips

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.

Source: Western Cape Department of Transport