Festive season is here, and many families will be travelling distances to different areas across the country to be with their loved ones while others will be visiting places of interests for this upcoming holiday season.
City of Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services shares safety driving practices to the motorists to lessen the statistics of fatal crashes happening on our roads.
“It has come to the services’ attention while attending vehicle crashes on the roads that many fatalities are as a result of drivers and passengers not buckling-up while travelling,” said William Ntladi, district manager media liaison Emergency Services.
“Most vulnerability is that of children not placed in their rightful and correct restraining travelling seats specially made for their tiny bodies.
“It is a common practice that motorists still travel with children placed in the front seats without safety devices. Some other motorists still drive vehicles with children placed in between the steering and themselves as drivers while driving.
“Children are still allowed to stand in between the two front seats without safety precautions taken into deep consideration.”
What does the law and safety practices say regarding the vehicle safety?
- Legislation stipulates that everyone in a motor vehicle should wear a seat belt while the vehicle is in motion.
- It is the driver`s responsibility and legal obligation to ensure that children are buckled up in a vehicle child restrain safety seat or seat belt where available.
- It is not safe to carry your baby or child in your arms while the vehicle is in motion.
- Children placed on the lap in the car, are highly exposed to intense injuries or even death even if the vehicle is travelling at the speed of about 60 km/h and that vehicle comes to sudden stopping or involved in a crash. In some instances, babies and children are ejected from the vehicle through the wind-screen or windows of the vehicle.
- Unrestricted children are prone to crash against the interior of the vehicle when it comes to sudden stop and can be fatal.
- Never buckle two children in one seat belt. It is a dangerous practice and could lead to serious injuries.
- Travelling unrestricted in vehicles such as Bakkies and station wagons is as dangerous also.
For any Life-threatening emergency, call local emergency and disaster management call centre from the following numbers below:
- 10177 : National toll free mumber
- 112 : Cellphone
- 011 458- 0911: Life threatening Ekurhuleni emergency line
