The developers of the Arrive Alive website have decided that it is important to focus on 4×4 safety as a part of the online road safety initiative. This decision was also discussed on the Road Safety blog in a post titled “Road Safety awareness efforts should include 4×4 driving!”
To assist in thes efforts, the developers of the website gained the assistance of Andre Botha, a qualified 4×4 Tour & Overland Guide. We have asked Andre to share some thoughts on aspects that the 4×4 enthisiast / driver might not know, and of which we need to create awareness. I would like to share some of these thoughts:
- It is very important that we educate 4×4 & quad drivers on how to “tread lightly” in an off-road environment, in order not to cause any damage to the environment and even more so not to damage you vehicle or injure your passengers. Irresponsible driving (for example, excessive wheel spin) causes serious damage to roads which will start a huge erosion problem in the rainy seasons! Only drive on existing tracks!
- Statistics show us that the most off-road accidents happen at high speed in “on-road” gravel and tar road circumstances. Vehicles are heavily loaded, sometimes even with a overladed roof-rack and than the drivers can’t control the vehicle emergencies at high speed on this normal types of road surfaces.
- If you drive on the grassy plains of the Kalahari and you don’t check your vehicle every few minutes, you will soon lose your vehicle in an inferno! Prepare your vehicle for that kind of terrain and stop and check it regularily.
- Don’t just buy 4×4 accessories because they look nice. Beware of accessory salesman, they just want the sale. Ask someone/a dealer with lots of experience and buy accessories that are proven & tested, but most of all practical. A lot of 4×4 enthusiasts carry “nice to have’s”, stuff that they never use on a trip. Many injuries was caused by accessories that was not fitted correct or proper.
- We are in the process of making sure that all the 4×4 instructors and training institutions are qualified and accredited to provide standardized training for off-road drivers. In the very near future you will have to provide proof that you are a trained and qualified off-road driver, before you will be allowed to drive on any registered 4×4 route/destination.
- 4×4 Training is primarily a course that will teach you the correct driving techniques, but the most important is for you to learn exactly how you specific vehicle work and what its dimensions are and how it performs in an off-road environment. The better you know your vehicle the better you will enjoy it, with no damage to the environment.
A motto/ slogan in the 4×4 world: “As slow as possible and as fast as necessary”
We would like to invite visitors to view this new section on the Arrive Alive road safety website:
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