When it is not your time to go…

A visitor to this Blog sent us an email of a narrow escape! We believe it is definitely worth sharing:

Look at the picture above and you can see where this driver broke through the guardrail, on the right side of the culvert, where the people are standing on the road, pointing.
 
The pick-up was traveling about 75 mph from right to left when it crashed through the guardrail.  It flipped end-over-end, bounced off and across the culvert outlet and landed right side up on the left side of the culvert, facing the opposite direction from which the driver was traveling..  
 
The 22-year-old driver and his 18-year-old passenger were unhurt except for minor cuts and bruises.
Just outside Flagstaff , AZ on U.S. Hwy 100.
 
 
Now look at the second picture below…

The lighter side of car insurance claims

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The following are actual statements found on insurance forms where the driver attempted to summarize the details of an accident in the fewest possible words:

• I was thrown from my car as it left the road. I was later found in a ditch by some stray cows.
• The direct cause of the accident was a little guy in a small car with a big mouth.
• Coming home, I drove into the wrong house and collided with a tree that I don’t have.
• The other car collided with mine without giving me warning of his intentions.
• I thought my window was down but found it was up when I put my head through it.
• I collided with a stationary truck coming from the other way.
• A truck backed through my windshield into my wife’s face.
• The guy was all over the road, I had to swerve a number of times before I hit him.
• I pulled away from the side of the road, glanced at my mother-in-law and headed over the embankment.
• In an attempt to kill a fly I hit a telephone pole.
• I had been driving for forty years when I fell asleep at the wheel and had an accident.
• I was on my way to the doctor with rear-end trouble, when my universal joint gave way causing me to have an accident.

May these statements bring a smile –and may we never forget the importance of car insurance and the importance of the truth when submitting a claim. Fraudulent claims are criminal and a breach of contract!

Visit the Arrive Alive website for info on “Car Insurance and Road Safety”

For more on Car Insurance view the Car Insurance and Road Safety Blog

South Africa saved 400MW during Earth Hour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

South Africa saved about 400 megawatts during Earth Hour, Eskom said on Sunday.

This meant South Africans switched off a total of 4.7 million 60 watt light bulbs between 20:30 and 21:30 on Saturday, as part of a global initiative for action against climate change, said spokesperson Fani Zulu.

“This also means one unit of power at each of our small power stations was saved,” he said.

The Road Safety & Arrive Alive Blog expressed our support for this initiative and also alerted the readers on Car Blog to the importance of this initiative.

Cannabis causes dangerous driving

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Researchers in Canada have found that young men who are impulsive thrill-seekers are more likely to admit to driving while high on marijuana. The researchers from the University of Montreal found that men who drove under the influence of cannabis were also more likely to report certain risky driving behaviours, and tend to get in more accidents.

The research report in the journal Accident Analysis and Prevention also made the interesting suggestion that public health messages intended to discourage people from driving while high “should include an arousing and unconventional format” so they won’t be “redundant and boring” for their intended audience.

Studies have shown that people’s driving skills are impaired within the first hour after smoking pot, they add. And it’s also possible, according to Richer and Bergeron, that people who get behind the wheel after smoking marijuana are also by nature more likely to be dangerous drivers.

The research team focused on 83 men ranging in age from 17 to 49, of whom 30 admitted to being pot smokers. From these individuals, 80% said they had driven under the influence of marijuana in the past 12 months. Of all the study participants, 35% had been involved in at least one car crash in the past three years.

Study participants were placed in driving simulators and also completed a driving test under time pressure. The pot-smoking drivers were more likely to be engaged in risky driving, meaning driving in a careless way that could hurt others but isn’t intended to do so; and negative emotional driving, for example, getting angry with other motorists.
It is important for road users to be aware to the dangers that some substances might have on their driving ability. Drunk driving is not only driving whilst intoxicated with alcohol- but also driving under the influence of cannabis and other drugs!

Only drive when sober and able to focus on the road ahead – you have one life –don’t take a chance with it!!

Visit the Arrive Alive road safety website for more information about drunken driving!

The environment needs the Bus Rapid Transit System [BRT]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today is dedicated by environmentalists to Earth Hour – a worldwide expression of concern for the environment and the effects of global warming. People across the globe will turn off their electricity for an hour to support this initiative.

On this road safety blog we would like to express our support for this initiative and commit to switching off the electricity for an hour later today.

We would also like to refer readers to information made available on the Arrive Alive road safety website about the Bus Rapid Transit System [BRT] in South Africa. I would like to quote from this information:

“It has been revealed that traffic volumes are escalating by 7% per year in the economically active corridor between Johannesburg and Tshwane and carbon dioxide emissions from private cars will increasingly contribute to global warming. The use of BRT systems will therefore contribute to cleaner cities with reduced carbon monoxide emissions.

• The Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) System is the largest ever climate change project the City of Johannesburg has undertaken and represents a major turning point in how the City deals with congestion, pollution and greenhouse gases emitted due to transportation in Johannesburg.
• An extensive study has been done in order to better understand the implications that a project of this nature will have with regard to greenhouse gas emissions and the environment of Johannesburg.
• Environmental impact studies revealed an expected savings of 382,940 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions as a result of the implementation of the Rea Vaya system by 2010.
• Operation of a Rea Vaya system through 2020 was estimated to save1, 6 million tons of CO2 equivalent emissions.
• It will dramatically improve the air quality of the city of Johannesburg by taking thousands of poor quality buses running on poor quality fuel off the streets and replacing them with hundreds of buses running on cleaner fuel with the most up-to-date pollution reduction equipment.
• This will reduce dangerous vehicular emission to human health
• The environmental authorities have been fully supportive of BRT.”

May this Bus Rapid Transit System help to address pollution and global warming and benefit many generations to come!

Paramedics escape uninjured as drunk driver crashes into accident scene on M1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At approximately 02h33 on Friday morning 27 March 2009, Netcare 911 paramedics responded to reports of a very serious head-on collision between two cars on the M1 towards Sandton near to the Athol Oaklands offramp, north of Johannesburg.

It appeared that the white car was travelling on the wrong side of the highway when it collided with the green car. Both drivers sustained very serious injuries following the massive impact and the female passenger in the green car died at the scene. Both drivers were transported by ambulances to the Netcare Sunninghill and Charlotte Maxeke hospitals. Fire fighters had to use the “jaws of life” to free the body of the female passenger from the severely damaged green car.

Sadly while paramedics were attending to the injured victims, a reckless driver then crashed into the accident scene. Eye witnesses alleged that the Mercedes was exceeding the speed limit and skidded between two Metro Police vehicles before colliding with a tow truck and two emergency vehicles including an ambulance. The ambulance sustained serious damage and had to be towed from the scene. Another ambulance had to be called to remove the injured from the first collision.

The driver of the unlicensed Mercedes failed a breathalyzer test and was arrested by the Metro Police at the scene. Two paramedics were in the vehicles at the time of the impact and were very fortunate not to have been seriously injured.

The public are urged to slow down and approach emergency scenes with caution. Although a paramedics job is very rewarding we often have to work in dangerous situations. Rescue workers are not immune to serious injuries and like everyone else we look forward to returning to our loved ones after a hard shift. Please do your bit to make sure that we are safe at emergency scenes. [ Also view "Accident Scene Safety"]

This incident was attended to by paramedics from the private and provincial ambulance services, fire department and the Metro Police.

Regards,
Nick Dollman.
mobilemedia
Media Liaison
Netcare 911

Several vehicles in N12 Cash in transit heist

 

 

 

 

 

At approximately 13H21 on Thursday 26 March 2009, Netcare 911 paramedics responded to reports of a cash in transit heist on the N12 direction towards Potchefstroom near to the R28 interchange in Western Area, west of Johannesburg.

Eye witnesses alleged that a gang of men with automatic rifles had attacked the cash in transit vehicle. It appeared that several vehicles were involved in the incident but fortunately nobody was seriously injured.

Paramedics attended to a cash in transit guard from the security company, he had been assaulted and had sustained a contusion near to his right eye. He was in a stable condition and refused medical treatment and transportation to hospital for further assessment.

The victim remained at the scene and gave a statement to the police.

Traffic in the area was severely affected. This incident was attended to by Netcare 911, provincial emergency services and the SAPS.

Nick Dollman
mobilemedia
Media Liaison
Netcare Limited
Netcare 911

Woman cut free from her wrecked luxury car on N3 following challenging rescue effort

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At approximately 23h40 on Saturday night 21 March 2009, Netcare 911 paramedics responded to reports of a very serious collision on the N3 heading towards Sandton near to the Marlboro drive offramp.

Paramedics arrived to find that the car had left the road in a section that was undergoing major road roads, it appears that the car then rolled and had landed on its side in a ditch between the highway and the Marlboro drive offramp. The car was extremely unstable and rescuers had to use specialised equipment to stabilise the car before the rescue process could begin. Fire fighters used electric metal cutters and the “jaws of life” to flap down the roof of the luxury car to gain access to the victim.

The lady driver was alone in the car, she was treated for possible rib fractures and abrasions to both of her lower arms. She was in a stable condition and was transported by ambulance to the Netcare Sunninghill hospital for further assessment and treatment.

It appeared that no other vehicles were involved in the incident and there were no other injuries.
This incident was attended to by Netcare 911, fire department and the Metro Police.

Concern about taxi violence in South Africa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earlier today I was witness to taxi drivers disobeying the law and driving in the yellow lane on their way to taxi protests. There were also rubber bullets fired at some of these protestors to the north of Grayston Drive on the M1.
It is reported that Transport Minister Jeff Radebe has spoken to his counterpart in safety and security to investigate the reports of violence associated with Tuesday’s taxi strike in Johannesburg.

I would like to quote from the SAPA report:

“Minister Radebe has discussed the violent protests with Safety and Security Minister Nathi Mthethwa and investigations on the protests are underway.

“Those who will be found guilty of contravening the law will face the full might of the law,” his spokesperson Collen Msibi said.

This came after a Putco bus driver was shot in the hand in Soweto as taxi drivers made their way into the Johannesburg CBD to express their dismay at the transport department for creating bus routes on routes already being plied by taxis.

Some schools told their pupils to stay at home and a Sapa staffer reported being intimidated at two blockades in Soweto, while nearby people threw stones at buses.

Radio stations took calls from Johannesburg residents telling of incidents around the city where they were threatened or beaten, while the roads leading in and out of Soweto, and the freeways, were clogged with motorists seeking alternative routes to work.

“The minister [Radebe] indicated this morning that every South African has a constitutional right to demonstrate when they are not happy with a specific issue,” said Msibi.

“But he condemns in the strongest possible terms taxi operators taking people out of buses and trains. It is unacceptable and as government we condemn it,” he said.

The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system would see over 500 taxis removed from the first trunk route to be introduced in Johannesburg between Soweto’s Orlando and Coca Cola Park (Ellis Park) in central Johannesburg by June 1, according to an SA National Taxi Council briefing on Monday.

It was intended that the drivers retrain to become bus drivers and that the taxi owners become shareholders in the R2.5bn first phase of the plan.

Philip Taaibosch, the secretary general of the SA National Taxi Council, said the taxi owners were suspicious that taxis were going to be phased out completely and that they would lose the routes they had spent decades developing as a business.

He said the violence that had been reported was by outsiders.

Gauteng police spokesperson Director Govindsamy Mariemuthoo said in some instances officers had fired rubber bullets to disperse taxi drivers blocking feeder routes into the city.

Two men showed reporters injuries they claimed were from rubber bullets fired by the police and pointed to their damaged windscreens.

“It is unacceptable that police are firing at drivers,” said one marcher.

“They were told we were expecting a peaceful rally. No weapons were allowed, even if they were with licensed gun owners. It is unacceptable,” he said.

- SAPA”

Researching main causes of traffic accidents…[humor!]

A concerned motorist sent some disturbing photos to the Arrive Alive Road Safety website. Even though road traffic crashes are no joke..these pics might bring a few smiles amidst all the tragedy of road crashes.

Also view “Avoiding distractions while driving”