Safe Driving Commandments

In a few days, it will be the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025. It will be another Christmas. Another season for festivities. It won’t be the last Christmas. Many others await us by the mercies and grace of the Almighty God. Last week, a teaser, titled: “Much Ado About Ember Months’’ was served you, as a precursor to other safety titbits to promote safe driving this season.

One of the hallmarks of the season is increased motorisation. The season is also marked with increased insane driving that often results in avoidable crashes that are often attributed to the handiwork of spirits. Truth is that bad and irresponsible driving abound all year round. During this season, there is usually a leap in unsafe driving habits.

To guard against these, I will examine the safety commandants as a guide. I urge you to please internalise and drive by these rules, no matter how long or short your journey may be. You should be guided by the provision of the National Traffic Regulations and other relevant traffic laws. The regulations prohibit anyone who is not duly licensed to drive without a valid driver’s licence. This legal right to drive as provided, restricts you to a specific type of vehicle.

Second, before you drive that car in the face of the biting effect on the economy, ascertain that your vehicle meets minimum safety standards. This simply means that you must ensure that your vehicle is well maintained and that all necessary safety paraphernalia are in proper shape.

Don’t join the multitude who pay lip service to safety. Vehicle maintenance is key to safety during all seasons to avoid a possible vehicle breakdown, brake failure or tyre burst which has claimed innocent lives. Please, plead the blood of Jesus when it is beyond human control, but do the right thing first.

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Having crossed these two hurdles, you must ask yourself a critical and personal question such as the following: am I emotionally, mentally and physically sound to embark on that journey? This is perhaps the most critical decision that must be taken before any journey as provided in the Traffic Regulations. Driving is a pleasure; however, this same pleasure has killed many who embarked on trips oblivious of the mental and emotional state of the driver. So, the choice you make is key. If the vehicle is not a personal one, then you must ensure you patronise a transporter with a track record for safety.

A good number in our clime drive under emotional stress irrespective of the class of vehicle they drive. Some do so under financial-induced stress. It is important you stay off the wheels if you have issues to deal with, especially issues that will affect your total concentration on the heels. If you just won a jackpot from any of the ongoing promos, please stay off the wheels and allow someone else to drive you home safely.

Your knowledge of the traffic rules and regulations is also vital as it ensures a good driving culture. Remember the Biblical injunction, which says “obedience is better than sacrifice”. A typical driver in our clime is self-centered and is not willing to share the road with another.

This self-centeredness is accentuated when another vehicle attempts to overtake him. When overtaking, please do so only when it is legal, safe for you and others. The road signs and markings will always guide you on when and where to overtake. The choice to determine when it is safe becomes yours to make and it is necessary.

You must learn to use your mirrors and glance behind. Beware of blind spots which are areas around the vehicle that a driver cannot see either in their mirrors or by looking ahead. They can occur due to the structure of the car such as the body and pillars or other obstacles like surrounding cars.

Remember, the look-signal and look again and move routine. Overtake only on the left and avoid overtaking on a hill, bend, built up areas or pedestrian crossing. Avoid overtaking if you would have to cross double solid white lines or when you see a, “no overtaking sign’’. Overtake only one vehicle at a time.

Let’s talk speed. It is a temptation eight or nine out of 10 drivers run foul of. The traffic regulations specify different speeds for different vehicles and roads. This is because speed is one of the critical factors identified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as responsible for increased fatalities.

What this simply means, is that your chances of survival while driving, should you be involved in a road traffic crash is dependent on your speed. So, if you are a speed freak, watch that speed. Do not forget that as you speed, anything such as brake failure, tyre burst or even a pedestrian crossing the road can happen. It might even be a cattle crossing without warning.

Whenever you speed, do remember that at 100km/ph a vehicle moves at 28 metres per second on a road. The speed limit for private cars on the expressway is 100km/ph, taxis and buses are allowed to maintain 90km/ph.  Articulated vehicles like trailers and tankers are to maintain speed limits of 60km/ph on the expressway and 50km/ph on the highway.

Within built up areas, taxis and buses are to maintain speed limits of 50km/ph. The United Nations (UN) has however reduced this speed in built up areas to 30km/ph. However, you must note that common sense often dictates lower speed limits. Common sense speed should therefore be lower in bad weather, bad roads, and when the roads are busier.

Globally, defensive driving is the “voodoo” to safety on the road. It is therefore an all-round medication. This is because a defensive driver assumes he is the only driver with a measure of sanity while the rest drivers should actually be locked up in a Psychiatric home because of their level of insanity.

Since crashes are caused by individual errors, he is always cautious, obeys all rules, and develops the right attitude such as patience, care, skill and consideration for other road users. A defensive driver never allows his safety to depend on the actions or inactions of others. He always anticipates wrong actions of others, gives correct, prompt, adequate and clear signals.