AA offers safety tips for road users ahead of Easter holidays

South Africans will be celebrating the Easter holidays in April with Good Friday being observed on Friday, 2 April and Family Day on the Monday following Easter Sunday.

This is going to be a first following last year’s cancelled plans for the whole nation because of the first wave of the coronavirus that took not only South Africa but the whole world by storm.

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Ahead of the festive period, the Automobile Association (AA) offered the following tips for road users:

• Rest before travel. While on the road, stop every two hours or 200km to stretch, and get fresh air.
• Put all non-essential electronic devices away. If you are driving with a cell phone, use it only when you have to, not when you want to. Don’t text and drive.
• Ensure everyone in the vehicle wears their seatbelt, drive to the conditions of the road, and obey all the rules of the road.
• Be courteous to other drivers.
• The speed limit is not a target to be attained. Respect it.
• Don’t overtake when it is illegal or unsafe to do so.

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• If you are a cyclist or riding a motorbike, also make yourself visible and ensure all protective clothing (including the helmet) are in a good condition,
• If you are a pedestrian, walk where it is safe, and also make yourself as visible as possible. Wear reflective vests, sashes or other items of clothing to make yourself stand out (especially at night on dimly or badly lit roads).
• Drink or drive.
• Respect traffic law enforcement, they are there to ensure your and other road users’ safety.
• Enjoy your drive and arrive safely at your destination.

“South Africa has a horrendous road safety record, and it doesn’t get better annually. While there are many things the government must do to improve road safety, it’s also the responsibility of road users to play their role. Without a conscious effort by road users to be safe, no actions by the government will ever work,” concluded the AA.

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