Do you have road rage?

HESSEQUA NEWS - Have you looked in the mirror lately to see how drivers think they are all excellent drivers and everyone else isn’t?

There’s also a strange way of thinking that because other drivers are breaking the road rules. “It’s time we brought order back to our roads and this needs to start with each one of us looking into how we can improve our behaviour while driving,” says Dewald Ranft, Chairman of the Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA), an affiliate association of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI).

South Africa has an exceptionally high mortality rate on our roads and so far the finger pointing hasn’t worked. Driving responsibly also goes a long way to extending the life of your vehicle and its parts. “Harsh breaking, rapidly accelerating and so on all contribute to the wear and tear on essential parts of your vehicle,” he says. Ranft believes sticking to speed limits and keeping a good following distance are two easy ways to make a difference.

By speeding and driving too close to other vehicles we greatly increase the chances of an accident. Speed limits and following distances have been worked out based on human response times, braking systems in vehicles and other factors.

“The far-right lane is the fast lane. Stay out of this lane if you are feeling pressured by other drivers to break the speed limit. The same applies to the yellow emergency lane. This lane is intended for emergency vehicles, vehicles that have broken down or an escape route for vehicles to use to avoid an accident. You should not be in this lane otherwise, irrespective of what others are doing.”

By speeding and driving too close to other vehicles we greatly increase the chances of an accident.

Tips to improve driving behaviour

Respect yellow and red traffic lights. They mean stop, not speed up.
Remember what the lines on the road are there for. They indicate when you can and can’t overtake.
Indicators are not an optional extra on vehicles. Use them!
Try and leave a little earlier for trips rather than rushing on our roads. You’ll find you are far calmer and accommodating when you have time to spare.
Remember your manners. Let people in. Be forgiving if people make mistakes and let’s all be less aggressive towards other drivers.

He points out that it is a legal requirement in South Africa that all cars must be in a roadworthy condition. “Taxis and busses must undergo a roadworthy test every year and a roadworthy certificate must be presented before a new car can be registered.”

Regular maintenance will ensure that the shock absorbers are in good condition, that the braking system is working properly and that all the vehicle’s safety technologies, such as ABS and airbags, are in working order.

Dewald Eugene Ranft