‘Let’s make SA safe this Easter,’ say traffic and safety experts

“As South Africans we all need to join hands this Easter to keep our roads safe in order to avoid human tragedy as far as possible.” This is the message of an inspirational road safety campaign entitled ‘Make the Roads Safe Campaign’.

The campaign was initiated by The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), an agency within the Department of Transport. Emergency medical services provider Netcare 911 is partnering with the RTMC in the campaign.
 
It is the second year running that the RTMC and Netcare 911 have joined forces in an attempt to make South Africa’s roads safer. Rather than using a ‘big stick’ approach to road safety, the campaign is harnessing the power of communication in order to improve road safety awareness, according to Netcare 911 General Manager Sales and Marketing, Thabo Matime.
 
“We want people to concentrate on having a memorable time with their loved ones and to have a good rest this Easter,” says Matime. “However, we also want everyone to think about how they can best keep themselves, their loved ones and other road users safe on the roads. Easter is historically a time of year when many accidents happen and it is therefore imperative for every road user to be fully committed to road safety. We want to keep road safety ‘top of mind’ throughout this holiday period.”
 
Matime points out that the road safety campaign will focus on the creation of awareness at a number of key rest stops on the way to and from major holiday destinations. Netcare 911 and the RTMC will have a strong presence at all of these stops. These will be used as bases from which they can operate on all of the major routes over the holiday period. According to Matime, three to five fully staffed Netcare 911 emergency vehicles will be on standby at each important rest stop situated along the N1, N3 and N4 motorways.
 
“As is the case every holiday season, Netcare 911 will be out in full force making every effort to ensure that those on the roads, at home or at holiday destinations are receiving the emergency medical support they may need,” adds Netcare 911’s Operations Director, Peter Feurstein.
 
“The Netcare 911 24-hour emergency operations centre is ready to deploy the appropriate emergency medical response should holiday makers require it. This includes road ambulances and rapid response vehicles, emergency medical helicopters or one of the Netcare 911 fixed wing air ambulance aircraft.”
 
He says that Netcare 911 is proud to once again be working with the RTMC in order to promote road safety awareness. The RTMC was established in 1995 for the strategic planning, regulation, facilitation and law enforcement of road traffic matters in South Africa.
 
Feurstein suggests that the message of road safety has the strongest impact when organisations such as the RTMC and Netcare 911 “put their heads and resources together”. He points out that road safety awareness is an area in which the two organisations can make “a real difference” over the Easter period.
 
“Motorists themselves also have an important role to play if we want to bring down the road accident rates on South African roads this Easter,” he continues. “Some individuals persist in speeding, drinking and driving, and committing other offences while on the roads. We ask that people should please be responsible and refrain from breaking the law while on the way to their destinations. Law breakers not only put their own lives at risk but also those of their families and the motorists around them.”
 
Feurstein recommends that drivers get enough sleep the night before a journey and pull over and take regular breaks. In many cases the driver starts feeling drowsy but will decide to push through to the next stop to save time on the journey. The half hour you might save is never worth your own life, that of your passengers or that of the other motorists on the road whom you may be endangering.
 
“There are some basic road safety rules that should always be practiced such as staying hydrated and cool so that you don’t become lethargic, checking your ‘blind spot’ when changing lanes, and driving with extra caution when the roads are wet,” says Feurstein. “All occupants of the vehicle must also remain buckled up. This includes children who must remain seated in the back seat and secured throughout the trip.”
 
Feurstein also advises drivers to switch on their headlights at all times. This greatly improves your vehicle’s visibility to other road users.
 
Some other basic safety tips that all road users should adhere to are:
 
·       Avoid alcoholic beverages and heavy foods when driving long distances
·       If you are taking any medication, make sure that it will not impair your driving ability
·       Stop over somewhere for the night if your journey is going to take a number of hours
·       If possible, drive with a companion and switch driving when you start to feel tired
·       Talk with passengers to help you stay alert, although not to the extent that you become distracted
 
Feurstein advises all motorists to keep their personal information close at hand so that they or emergency service workers can access it should it be needed in the event of an emergency. In this way your personal information can speak for you if you are unable to speak for yourself. He says in the event of a medical emergency Netcare 911 should be called on 082 911.
 
“We will, as always, be on high alert during this coming Easter holiday season,” concludes Matime. “While we hope that you will be safe and not need us, should you find yourself in the unfortunate situation that you do, be assured that our highly-trained emergency medical services personnel will be at your side. Netcare 911 wishes you a safe and happy Easter weekend.”