The biggest distraction in recent years involves texting while driving. Image: Supplied.
Despite the now passed Easter long weekend rating behind the December festive season as one of the most dangerous times to be on the road as hundreds of South Africans leave for holiday destinations, an equally pressing issue remains in the form of distractions faced everyday.
With April being Distracted Driving Awareness (DWD) month, MasterDrive has spoken out on an avoidable scenario that every year, results in the deaths of about 23 000 motorist and over a million road-related injuries worldwide.
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“These stats illustrate the importance of continuing to bring awareness to DWD in April, especially as South Africans will be travelling over a number of long weekends,” MasterDrive CEO Eugene Herbert said.
As a means of reducing the mentioned figures and to avoid a distraction that could have been prevented, MasterDrive has released the following tips that should take serious consideration before the embarking on a cross-country road trip.
Before setting off, make sure you have everything ranging from luggage to snacks and from toll-money to having your navigation system set to your destination.
Multi-tasking while driving takes both your eyes and concentration off the road.
Ask your passenger seated alongside to help with tasks often resulting in distractions, such as checking the navigation, selecting music or answering a call.
An area that often causes the typical “long road fights”, avoiding so-called road trip games or topics known to cause stress and conflict should be paramount as these could lead to cognitive distraction for the driver.
Without doubt the biggest distraction, MasterDrive advises that should you be travelling on your own, switching off your smartphone shouldn’t be seen as “scary”.
“Text messages, social media and emails can wait, particularly if you are on leave. Try putting your phone out of reach, or just turn it off,” it advises.
Despite the advances of Bluetooth, as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in newer cars, hands-free texting still amounts to distractive driving and should, therefore, be undertaken only when really required.
In more than a few cases, drivers use their phones for navigation purposes, which also amounts to distraction as their eyes glance off-and-on the road ahead. Therefore, try to limit your reliance.
The simple truth is, don’t rush or speed as you will get to your destination regardless.
While having passengers for company helps a lot on long journeys, in some instances, all you need is peace and quiet. Consider switching off the radio or asking your passengers for a few moments of silene.
For information on MasterDrive visit the website masterdrive.co.za.
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