Get a grip on road safety this holiday season

Get a grip on road safety this holiday season

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It’s sobering information, but did you know that South Africa has one of the highest per capita road death rates in the world? And that over the last decade more than 15000 people have lost their lives on our roads during the busy year-end vacation season alone?

According to the Department of Transport, the number of fatal road crashes over the 2019/2020 festive season was just shy of 1400 and resulted in more than 1600 fatalities between 1 December 2019 and 15 January 2020.

While human factors (such as jaywalking, hit-and-runs and excessive speed) are the leading cause of traffic accidents, followed by environment factors such as road conditions, you can still adjust your behaviour and address the most important vehicle factors to reduce the likelihood of becoming a statistic over the holiday period.

Increased traffic volumes, drunken driving and unroadworthy vehicles are a dangerous cocktail that bump up the road death toll across our nation at this time. And vehicle tyres that aren’t in good condition can only increase the risk of road accidents and fatalities. Why? Because your tyres are the only part of your vehicle to touch the road surface and go a long way to enhancing the overall safety and control of your vehicle on the road.

Simply put, having safe and sturdy tyres puts you in a better position if faced with any of the leading causes of road accidents in South Africa – such as driver distraction, drunk driving, speeding, reckless driving, pedestrians, weather conditions, potholes and faulty brakes.

According to the Road Traffic Management Corporation’s State of Road Safety Report for 2019, half of the crashes on South Africa’s roads in 2019 occurred as a result of a tyre burst prior to the crash, while smooth tyres were also a factor in 7% of crashes.

Planning a road trip to explore some of the hidden gems of South Africa? The last thing you need is an accident en route or while away enjoying yourself with your loved ones. So how do you get a grip on tyre safety this holiday season?

Dunlop has compiled a collection of resources to help you to properly check things like tyre pressure, tread depth, selection and the need for regular rotation as well as other tips and tricks to make your road trip the ultimate journey for you and your family, a memorable and special end to what has been a very difficult year for us all. For more on what to look out for, explore the Dunlop tyre safety tips here.

And with all the important checks done, you can then sit back, relax and enjoy your December driving more safely.

Why not share your family’s memory-making road trip with #Roadclip and be part of a community hitting the road again this holiday, while staying #SaferthanSafe.