Safety first when travelling this holiday season

Metro police spokesperson Wayne Minnaar said drivers must consider the legal compliance and safety when embarking on a road trip.

If you will be on the road this holiday season, here’s what you need to know:

•  Plan your trip; familiarise yourself with the direction and the route you will be travelling.
•  Ensure the vehicle you will be travelling is in good condition; the vehicle must be roadworthy, the head lights, brake lights and windscreen wipers must be working and tyres must be in good condition.
•  Never embark on a long journey when tired.
•  Stop every two hours during the trip; have something to eat or drink and get out of the car and walk around to improve circulation and reduce fatigue.
•  Do not travel at high speeds – not only is it an offense, but this reduces the driver’s reaction time and the ability to control the vehicle.
•  Do not drink and drive – the limit of alcohol levels is 0.05 per 100ml of blood, which equates to one glass unit of alcohol i.e. one glass of spirits or one beer. The alcohol level limit for professional drivers such as bus, taxi and truck drivers is 0.02 per 100ml of blood which equates to half a drink.
•  Do not drink at all the night before you are planning to travel.
•  Ensure you have your original valid driver’s license, which is appropriate for the vehicle class you are driving, whenever you get behind the wheel.