The Easter holidays means busier roads

With the Easter holidays a few days away, where many people will head off on holiday to enjoy the last bits of the warmer weather, Niki Cronje, Group Marketing at Imperial believes that the surest way to ensure safer roads during peak seasons is through visible policing and surveillance projects.

As a result the company, through Europcar, has provided N3 Toll Concession (N3TC) and Bakwena N1 and N4 with support vehicles – with the aim of providing additional monitoring on these congested routes.

“While we don’t like to believe it, when a driver sees a patrol vehicle, he/she automatically adjusts driving behaviour – whether by strapping in, slowing down, or obeying the road rules.

“This, of course, leads to safer driving practises, which in turn means safer roads,” said Cronje.

The provision of additional vehicles to law enforcement and emergency services on both routes have in the past proved to reduce fatalities and road crashes, where most recently in December 2014 through the Highway Patrol initiative it was recorded that there were decreased fatalities, from six to three on the N3 Toll Route and on the Bakwena N1 and N4 route the fatalities dropped from eight to three.

“To ensure safer roads for all this holiday break, Imperial Road Safety will again partner with N3TC and Bakwena N1 and N4 to provide Imperial branded patrol cars along the routes between Heidelberg and Cedara (N3TC) and Tshwane, northwards to Bela-Bela and westwards to Rustenburg (N1 and N4),” Cronje said.

Con Roux, Commercial Manager of N3TC said, “The 13 vehicles that will be handed over to N3TC, for the period of March 31 until May 5, will be used to improve response times and patient care, in the unfortunate instance that there is a crash along the route – a service that is most welcomed and will go a long way in demonstrating solid route support.”

Charmaine van Wyk, Bakwena’s Public Relations Manager agrees with Roux’s sentiment.

“There is no doubt that these vehicles will be a welcomed addition to the Bakwena Route once again this Easter break.

“The three vehicles that will be handed over to the Bakwena N1N4 are a great support and will make a real difference – during one of our busiest periods from April 2 to 6, and will provide much-needed extra hands and assistance within our road network to Tshwane, Gauteng North West and Limpopo traffic authorities.

“We have extended our partnership further by partnering with MasterDrive, who have provided the drivers of these additional vehicles with a course in defensive driving, focussing on crash prevention,” she said.

Dawn Nathan-Jones, CEO of Europcar, reassures road users about the vehicles that will be dispatched.

“To ensure road users are able to identify with and trust the support vehicles as legitimate response cars, they will be distinguishable by their Europcar and Imperial I-Pledge decals,” he explained.

“Whether through the patrol to promote safer road user behaviour, medical assistance through ERMS – or to accommodate post-crash needs, Imperial Road Safety and Europcar are committed to support the Highway Patrol in making our roads safer for all who use them.

“We encourage all holiday goers to take extra care this holiday season and to look out for the Imperial Road Safety branded vehicles, if they require any assistance,” Cronje concluded.