Have you ever wondered if a road accident could have been prevented if only you hadn’t looked at your cell phone for that one second or slowed down instead of speeding up when the traffic light turned orange? Perhaps you could have pre-empted that car turning in front of you or the child dashing across the road to get a ball?

Road safety in South Africa is the responsibility of each and every road user. This is the view of IMPERIAL, whose southern African transport fleet travelled 460 million kilometres last year. The transport and logistics giant added its weight to curbing road fatalities and collisions by launching the I-Pledge road safety initiative in November 2011.
“Over 100,000 South Africans have since taken the first small step towards making a big difference on our roads by adopting the I-Pledge,” says Niki Cronje, group marketing executive for IMPERIAL.
“We continue to encourage motorists, pedestrians, truck drivers and passengers to make a commitment to being better road users by acknowledging and abandoning the bad habits that have become second nature when we travel.”

These include not wearing seat belts, drinking and driving, speeding, succumbing to road rage, distracted driving through in-car cell phone use and jaywalking.

Safer roads start with you. Make a difference today and take the I-Pledge at www.ipledge.co.za. Follow @IPledgeZA on Twitter or join its Facebook community.

Additional content for editorial use
Adjust your driving to suit the conditions
When you get behind the wheel, remember that you have your own life and the lives of others in your hands. It is important to always adapt the way you drive according to your surroundings, road conditions and the weather.

• Speed limits are set according to the area and the traffic moving through it.
• Only pass when it is safe to do so.
• Always travel at a safe following distance, giving you the time and distance to take evasive action to avoid an accident.
• Slow down in high pedestrian areas, during peak traffic hours and where there are roadworks.

Remain calm
Road rage and aggressive driving remains a major cause for concern on South Africa’s roads. Make a conscious effort on a daily basis to remain calm when things get a little heated – reacting in anger simply does not work and serves no purpose other than to make the situation worse.

Practise defensive driving and be ready to react
• When driving behind a truck or bus, bear in mind that if you cannot see its side view mirrors, the driver can’t see you.
• Always obey the three-second following rule. This gives you time to react to obstacles and dangerous situations.
• Other drivers won’t always obey the rules of the road, so be aware of the risks and plan for the worst.
• Be aware of everything going on around you, not just on the road in front of you.

Adjust to changing weather
• In bad weather or poor visibility, slow down!
• Your stopping distance increases in rain and drizzle, and you are likely to skid if you brake quickly. Allow enough time and distance to come to a safe stop.
• In foggy or misty conditions, use your fog lights and slow down to a speed at which you can see and be seen.
• When it is raining, slow down, and drive carefully; stick to the correct lanes for the speed that you are travelling at and remain aware of other motorists around you.