Nihambe kakuhle, veilig ry and travel safe

Many of us will be travelling home, visiting family, or even managing a holiday on South Africa’s roads this December. With all the Jo' burgers anxiously trying to get the beach, year-end travels are usually a slightly hair-raising time. We have provided a checklist to make the preparation and travel time less stressful for you and your family.

Checklist: Non-negotiable vehicle safety and legal requirements for your vehicle

1. Tyres - should still have a minimum of 1.5 to 2mm tread
2. Leaks - There should not be any puddles under the vehicle
3. Windscreen and windscreen wipers - No cracks and the wipers need to work
4. Headlights - need to work and be adjustable for distance
5. Brake and indicator lights need to be functioning
6. Brakes must work
7. Safety belts on for all passengers
8. Children must be secured and seated
9. License plates - visible on the front AND the back of the car and they need to MATCH
10. The drivers need valid licenses
11. License disc - valid license disc needs to be displayed in a visible manner on the windscreen
12. Take regular breaks

Vehicle safety- public transport

Every day, we get into our cars or onto taxis and head off into traffic. How often do you check that your vehicle is roadworthy? How, as a passenger, do you have any say over the condition of your transport?

As of 2022, 11.4 million households take taxis to work every day and the Department of Transport (DOT) has stepped up to ensure the safety of those public transport trips, starting with illegal conversions and the Taxi Recapitalization Programme. In a gazette published at the end of October, the DOT said that 2 353 converted panel vans were identified as being illegally converted.

Since illegally converted Toyota Panel Vans must be surrendered for scrapping by 31 January 2023, there is still a chance that we may encounter these illegal taxis over December, so we need to be extra vigilant about the vehicles we get into.

The public will have some help over the festive season, in the form of increased Metropolitan Police and South African Police Service officials on our roads. Extra roadblocks and roadside patrols will be enforced until the end of January to curb the spike in criminal activity. The roadblocks will be focusing on roadworthiness, legitimate driver’s licenses, and the legal blood alcohol limit for drivers, which is still 0.05g per 100ml. This roughly translates into less than one beer or half a glass of wine, but you should read the exact science here.

Due to the wet conditions throughout much of SA, there is a particular focus on brakes, brake-lights, tyres and tyre tread, and windscreen wipers. Where you possibly can, ensure that you are checking your own and any vehicle you might be using, to ensure that they are safe on the road.

Road rules

“Can you even drive?!” and its more extreme variations have become part of our morning routines. Since the crackdown by the Special Investigations Unit resulting in 200 000 fraudulent licenses being scrapped, and reports of the Mpumalanga Driving Instructors openly protesting the R300 hike in bribery fees (you read that correctly) by law enforcement, the answer to that particular question may just be “Nope.”

Astoundingly, many drivers really may not know that if the lights are out, it’s a four-way stop, or that it’s one car at a time. Our own K53 does not explicitly cover what to do when traffic lights are out, which makes the roads a more dangerous place during loadshedding. While loadshedding and bad driving are becoming linked in our minds, it still cannot be condoned. The added pressure to try and avoid the queues of cars, both by taxis and busses, can lead to serious accidents. Whether you are the driver or a passenger, remember that is our responsibility to obey the rules of the road and to know what they are. You can read up on these rules here, so you know that those traffic lights become four-way stops when the power’s out and that overtaking by speeding up the wrong side of the road is still illegal, regardless of how late for work you are!

Road conditions

The combination of heavy rain, loadshedding and poorly maintained infrastructure has led to a serious decline in the quality of our roads. South Africa has a gigantic road network, but much of it is disintegrating, riddled with potholes and poorly lit. Where possible, try to plot your route to avoid areas where the roads are especially bad, or try and avoid travelling in the dark.

Home safe

What’s frustrating is that, as passengers who are dependent on others to take responsibility for their vehicles, we feel like none of this in our control. We may be able to skip a particularly dodgy taxi, or get a lift with a friend here and there, but often there just is no other option. If there were more options available, taxis might not be so expensive! If one can’t avoid the danger, try to ensure that there is backup not too far away. Installing a panic button on your phone is best, because it calls emergency responders directly. You shouldn't only prepare for the worst. Letting friends and family know what stage of your journey you’re on, and what time you are expected to arrive, can be a great way to ensure that you will have help if something goes wrong. Calling ahead also has the added benefit of ensuring that there are friends waiting to pick you up, so you don’t have to wait too long to see the loved ones you have travelled so far to see!

We hope you travel safe this festive season and enjoy a well-deserved break after a very long year!

If you are planning to drive long distances this festive season, please check this list of AA approved service centres.

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