Four tips for driving on rural roads
A holiday in the country is a wonderful get-away, ensuring a complete rest and a feeling of having truly gotten away from it all.
Likewise, a journey that takes you through some of South Africa’s more remote villages before you get to your end destination can be an exciting chance to explore some of the country that you might otherwise never have seen.
Both have their downsides too though, the major one being that driving on rural roads can be extremely dangerous.
So says Glen Langenegger, general manager of Budget Insurance.
He adds, “If you keep your wits about you and know what to look out for on rural roads, you do not need to become a statistic.”
Budget offers the following tips for driving on South Africa’s rural roads:
*Be on the look-out for animals at all times. In game areas you have to watch out for buck crossing the road, while in more rural farming communities, it is common for goats and cows to amble across the road during the day or night.
*Be aware of pedestrians – rural roads often have pedestrians walking in the road, particularly when you are driving through a village. The villagers may not be used to constant passing traffic, therefore their road awareness is likely to be less than someone in a city. Your vigilance is therefore doubly important.
*Keep your speed down to a maximum of 70km per hour – do not be tempted to drive faster than usual just because there is no other traffic on the road. A child or animal darting out unexpectedly can be fatal for you and for them.
*The more rural the road, the more likely it is to be in poor condition, so you could damage your car or tyres significantly, which could be a serious problem in an area with no shops or garages or even no cell phone signal – be extra cautious and look out for pot holes.
Mr Langenegger concludes, “Lastly, it is always useful to phone ahead to your end destination or even an organisation like the AA, to ask them for guidance on the route you are taking. Because they have to travel those same roads themselves, they are likely to have excellent advice for you to make sure that you travel the rural roads safely.”
Source: Budget Insurance Brokers.
