CHAPTER 7:

Safety on the road

Everyone thinks it won’t happen to them. Especially young drivers – they believe that they’re invincible. But the reality is that anyone can have an accident while driving – even professional racing drivers! Even if it’s not your fault, you can still lose life or limb because of some other road user’s silly mistakes.

Can you avoid accidents? Sure – not just by piloting a safer car, but by being aware of potential pitfalls, and exercising more caution.

Speed killSAs for Jill, she drives way too fast for her own good. This is, of course, quite common behaviour for someone like Jill. As the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents in England points out: “Young drivers are more likely to see speed as exciting. They are particularly prone to approaching bends too fast and to dangerous overtaking.”

Jill, of course, thinks this is all nonsense. Hey, her hot hatchback was designed for speed, so why not?

Besides, she knows what she’s doing… or so she believes.

Actually, she doesn’t. Well, not all the time, anyway, as Jack regularly points out. For starters, this too cool for school young lady has a bad habit of going flat out and then standing on the brakes as she’s cornering. Generally speaking, she drives way too fast (even keeping within the speed limit can be unsafe, for example on wet or icy roads or on narrow, winding rural roads).

She tailgates trucks too… and other cars. So she has to keep crossing into the oncoming lane to see what’s ahead and if it’s safe to overtake. Jill has had many close calls, but hasn’t learned.

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ConSider the ConditionSBad weather? Well that’s another story. When the roads are wet, it’s not rocket science that the tar is slippery and you need to slow reduce speed. Not Jill. She goes full steam ahead, with absolutely no thought to the consequences. The other day in a seriously crummy thunderstorm, she floored the accelerator even though visibility was nil and driving conditions were so scary that there were hardly any another vehicles on the road. She miscalculated her abilities, and spun four times before stopping – with a resounding crunch – against a street pole. That cost her a fortune in repair bills. She’s lucky she’s alive.

When is it safe to overtake?The experts say:• When travelling along a single lane road behind another

vehicle, ask yourself if you intend to overtake it• If not, leave a gap ahead that’s long enough to allow

overtaking by other cars. This allows other road users to overtake you, slot safely into the gap you’ve left, and await an opportunity to overtake the next vehicle

• Vehicles travelling close together create a very long vehi-cle that’s more difficult to overtake, increasing the risk of an accident

• Even if no one’s behind you, leaving a large gap increases your line of sight and safety margin

here are some pointers when you hit the road (someone pass these on to Jill, please):

• The U.S. Transportation Department says more than 450,000 crashes occur annually in adverse weather conditions or on slick roads. To help avoid a crash, keep your tyres inflated to the right pressure and make sure they have enough tread

• Turn on your lights in bad weather or low light

• Avoid puddles: they could be camouflaging potholes

• If you start aquaplaning (also known as “hydroplaning”, this happens when there is water between the tyres of the vehicle and road surface, leading to the loss of traction), don’t brake or steer. Stop accelerating until you feel your tyres make contact with the road

• If you’re driving in fog, switch on your low-beam headlights, slow down before you reach a patch of fog, and turn on your defroster and windshield wipers

• Increase your following distance in bad weather, such as monsoons

• Dry your feet before getting into the car; wet feet can easily slip off the pedals

More than 450,000

The number of crashes that occur annually in adverse weather conditions or on slick roads.

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Of course, there are several basic rules that should be second nature to girls like Jill and guys like Jack. Just like our advice in good or bad weather conditions, always stay three cars’ lengths from the car in front of you. This means that, if

you’re hit from behind, there’s time and space to steer away from the vehicle in front. Always check your blind spots before changing lanes. A momentary peek can be all you need to avoid an accident.

deFenCe iS the FirSt line

oF attaCkAlways be a “defensive” driver when it

comes to children, cyclists, and aggres-

sive drivers: expect the unexpected. Plan

a “defence” to protect yourself and them

against the dangers they present.

It is vitally important for every single

young driver (and some older ones too!)

to invest in an advanced driver training

programme. Ford’s globally successful

Driving Skills for Life programme is a

great option; it mixes classroom and

practical training to help increase the

awareness of safe driving techniques.

And it won’t only teach you to be a safe

driver; it will also help you improve fuel

efficiency (think big time advantages

to your wallet) and lower your CO2

emissions. Finally, one word for guys and girls

who love to party and then drive: no.

Your reactions are slower, and the stats

show far too many fatalities resulting

from drunk driving to convince us

otherwise. Same goes for speeding. It

kills. Don’t do it. It’s as simple as that.

avoid holiday blueS

Going on holiday? When planning a long

trip, be aware of driver fatigue. Turning

up the sound system or opening the

demon driverSAccording to the Automobile Association of South Africa, there are also some vehicles that you should be especially wary of while out on the road.

• Any vehicle in which the driver’s range of vision is limited – such as a fully laden truck with no side mirrors

• A vehicle that “wanders” about the road – it could be a faulty steering or suspension, or the driver may be drunk or sleepy

• Any vehicle that is dirty, rusty, missing body parts or with a badly smoking exhaust – it is probably in poor overall mechanical condition

• A truck with a badly packed or unsecured load, or a car with a bulky load on the roof rack – the load, or part of it, may come adrift

• A car containing active children and pets – the driver may not be concentrating on the road

• A car with stickers on the windows, piles of luggage, or a large number of passengers – the driver’s vision is probably obscured

• A vehicle with a driver who does not appear to be giving his full attention to the road

Remember, if you cannot see the mirrors of the vehicle in front of you, that driver can’t see you!

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rubber alertNever under-estimate the importance of your tyres: they are what keep you stuck to the road.Always check the air pressure when the tyres are cold – never during or immediately after a journey. Check every two weeks and adjust when necessary. The right pressures prevent unnecessary wear, minimise excess fuel consumption and help avoid potentially dangerous blow-outs.

window won’t work. Rather, get plenty of shut-eye. If you feel drowsy, pull over for a nap, some fresh air or physical activity (walk around the car several times). Everyone knows that booze is a complete no-no and that it’s to be avoided if you plan to spend time behind the wheel. But bear in mind the fact that over-the-counter drugs such as allergy pills and muscle relaxants could also make you dozy.

Remember:• Do regular visual checks

• Lumps/bumps could mean internal damage: remove and have an expert check it

• Tyres deteriorate with age. If cracked, the rubber could be perished. Remove and get expert advice

• Keep your spare pumped and primed for action. Check its pressure regularly, especially before long journeys

The Institute of Advanced Motorists in the United Kingdom also offers some other handy practical tips:

• Pack belongings securely – loose objects can be distracting and, if the driver needs to brake sharply, unsecured items could fly forward and hit those sitting in front

• Where possible pack heavy items in the boot• Don’t load your car until it’s ready to burst;

you will almost certainly obscure visibility. You need to have a clear view of the road all the time

• The driving seat should be adjusted to a safe upright position and the heating/air-condition-ing set to a cool – not cold – temperature

• Keep an eye on the fuel level to make sure you don’t run dry. Running out of fuel on a motor-way puts your safety at risk, and it will be very expensive to call out for help to top you up

• Check tyre pressures before setting off. Tyres on a full and heavy car usually require higher pressure

• Driving on unfamiliar roads can be unnerving. Satellite navigation systems can help and ena-ble the driver to re-route quickly and relatively easily, but they can be expensive. It’s always best to plan the journey before hitting the road, using a map or online journey planner

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Cheap iS not alwayS beSt!It’s sometimes tempting to buy counterfeit or non-factory parts, because the perception exists that they’re cheap. And that’s sometimes true – they may be cheaper than “the genuine thing”. But, according to scientific studies (we’re not just talking marketing puffery here), you could end up endangering your life by fitting one of these substandard components to your car.

Ford Motor Company recently conducted a series of low-speed crash tests, and these revealed that aftermarket copy structural parts absorb less crash energy than genuine Ford structural parts and can also result in unintended airbag deployments. These fake parts are also not properly crash tested by the seller of the parts – so, in the event of an accident, you don’t know if they’re actually going to work properly.

“Not all replacement vehicle parts are created equal when it comes to safety,” warns Paul Massie, Ford powertrain and collision product marketing manager. “All drivers should be aware that copy parts can compromise the safety of their vehicles.”

Copy aftermarket parts can end up costing you big bucks if they result in engine failure, or a mechanical breakdown.

But what is the actual difference between a genuine part and a counterfeit or non-factory component? Unless you’re an expert in this field, it’s hard to tell them apart – because, to the naked eye, they sometimes look fairly similar. But, as Jill discovered when she dated a drop-dead gorgeous man who turned out to be a complete disappointment, looks can be deceiving. “Aftermarket copy parts are often constructed with

Five fast life-saving tips• Take it easy at night. Young drivers have a high proportion of their

crashes at night• Don’t drink and drive. And don’t accept a lift from someone who

has been drinking or might have taken drugs. Remember, some over-the-counter medicines can also cause drowsiness

• Always use a hands free kit when talking on the phone while driv-ing. And don’t text or surf the net. U.S. government research shows the most dangerous distractions are those that take your eyes off the road and hands from the wheel for an extended period of time

• Loud music, eating, drinking and smoking can distract you while you’re driving

• Buckle up. Always. And get your passengers to do the same

50%

substandard materials in order to be marketed as a cheaper alternative to authorised replacement parts,” explains Massie.

Sadly, counterfeit parts are rampant in the aftermarket industry… so how do you avoid using them inadvertently? “Always ask for and insist on the installation of original equipment factory parts. Your best chance to get ‘genuine’ factory parts is to have the vehicle serviced at a factory dealer,” suggests Joseph Cueter, operations manager for Ford’s Customer Service Division, Asia Pacific and Africa.

Whatever you do, don’t take a chance… the single most important thing is remaining safe on the road.

5The percentage by which road fatalities are expected to rise in low and middle income countries by 2020 according to the International Road Assessment Programme.

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