Caution required on the road back from the long weekend!

It is reported that more than 100 were injured in car accidents in Limpopo over the long weekend. Drunken driving and speeding have been identified as contributing factors to these accidents. Motorists have been cautioned to exercise caution, as traffic is increasing as South Africans return home from the long weekend

Motorists are advised to follow the following recommendations:

1 Obey the rules of the road and carry you drivers license with you.

2 Plan the route to your holiday destination and give your self enough time to reach the destination

3 Make sure that your vehicle is in a roadworthy condition before departure. All lights and indicators, windscreen wipers, brakes, steering, exhaust system and tyres should be carefully examined for faults.

4 Do not overload.

5 Try to avoid driving after dark if possible.

6 Have a good rest before you embark on your journey

7 Take safety breaks every 2 hours or 200km

8 Do not drink and drive

9 Try to recognize potentially dangerous drivers on and pedestrians alongside the road and keep well clear of them

10 Be visible – drive with your lights on

11 Headlights should be dipped well before an approaching vehicle is within range of the main beam.

12 Always wear your seat belt and see that everyone in the car is wearing theirs.

13 Drive defensively

14 Stay within the speed limit at all times

15 Only overtake when it is absolutely safe to do so

16 Maintain at least a 2 second following distance - this distance should be increased at night, in foggy or rainy conditions and when the road is wet.

17 Expect others not to be as obedient to the law as yourself

18 Be courteous towards fellow road users - keep your temper and resist the temptation to retaliate

Happy Workers Day!!

1 May 2008

The Road Safety & Arrive Alive Blog would like to wish all South Africans a happy and safe Workers day! Let us not forget about those traffic officials, emergency personnel, paramedics who have to work on this public holiday!

If we can ride in Lesotho, we can help in Lesotho!

This is the slogan of quad bike enthusiasts trying to give back to the community in Lesotho. Over the past year many quad bikers have enjoyed the beauty of the Kingdom of Lesotho and the hospitality of the people in the remotest of areas. These riders have decided to offer their assistance in renovating a church near the Malealea Lodge in Lesotho.

The quad bike website Quad24.co.za has focused on many travels across Lesotho and has also been able to include photos of areas we will only find in the best travel magazines. We have included content on quad bike safety, advice on planning a trip across Lesotho and even advice on how to protect the environment when visiting these areas. It is now also an honour for Quad24 to contribute towards something that will enhance the lives of the people in and around Malealea.

May we never forget that we don’t just live for ourselves - but also to assist those less privileged!

Netcare 911 reports 590 long weekend collisions in SA

During the past long weekend, from midnight on Friday 25 April 2008 until midnight on Tuesday 29 April 2008, the Netcare 911 call centre dispatched emergency vehicles to 516 motor vehicle collisions and 74 pedestrian collisions totalling 590 collisions throughout South Africa during the 96 hour time period. During the 2008 Easter weekend, the Netcare 911 call centre dispatched emergency vehicles to 606 incidents in a 129 hour time period.

Friday 25 April 2008: 131 motor vehicle and 23 pedestrian collisions in SA, totalling 154 for the day.
The four busiest regions were:

1) Gauteng region: 58 motor vehicle and 9 pedestrian collisions.
2) Kzn region: 36 motor vehicle and 2 pedestrian collisions.
3) North West region: 11 motor vehicle and 2 pedestrian collisions.
4) Mpumalanga region: 5 motor vehicle and 3 pedestrian collisions.

Saturday 26 April 2008: 162 motor vehicle and 34 pedestrian collisions in SA, totalling 196 for the day.
The four busiest regions were:

1) Gauteng region: 69 motor vehicle and 21 pedestrian collisions.
2) Kzn region: 32 motor vehicle and 4 pedestrian collisions.
3) Mpumalanga region: 13 motor vehicle and 4 pedestrian collisions.
4) Free State region: 13 motor vehicle and 1 pedestrian collision.

Sunday 27 April 2008: 111 motor vehicle and 10 pedestrian collisions in SA, totalling 121 for the day.
The four busiest regions were:

1) Gauteng region: 54 motor vehicle and 7 pedestrian collisions.
2) Kzn region: 27 motor vehicle and 0 pedestrian collisions.
3) North West region: 6 motor vehicle and 2 pedestrian collisions.
4) Eastern Cape region: 6 motor vehicle and 0 pedestrian collisions.

Monday 28 April 2008: 112 motor vehicle and 7 pedestrian collisions in SA, totalling 119 for the day.
The four busiest regions were:

1) Gauteng region: 48 motor vehicle and 3 pedestrian collisions.
2) Kzn region: 28 motor vehicle and 1 pedestrian collision.
3) North West region: 8 motor vehicle and 0 pedestrian collisions.
4) Western Cape region: 7 motor vehicle and 1 pedestrian collision.

The region with the highest number of incidents was Gauteng with a combined total of 269, followed by Kzn with a combined total of 130 incidents. It seems that the region that experienced the least number of collisions during the four day period was the Northern Cape with less than 10 incidents.

The week ahead:

The national roads may be busier than normal as many people are expected to take full advantage of the two day working week. It is a good idea to have your vehicle professionally assessed before undertaking long journeys so as to reduce the chances of it breaking down or worse. Ensure your tyre pressures are adjusted according to the baggage weight and number of passengers in your vehicle (refer to user manual for details). Drivers are encouraged to rest thoroughly before undertaking long journeys. During the journey drivers should stop and stretch/rest regularly (every 2 hours or 200km), ensure all occupants of the vehicle are wearing their safety belts, switch on your vehicles headlights to make yourself more visible to other road users, do not speed, do not drink and drive, always keep a safe following distance and be on the lookout for pedestrians.

[ Information provided by Netcare 911 to the Road Safety & Arrive Alive Blog]

NETCARE 911
Emergency No. 082 911

Almost 230 long weekend collisions in Gauteng

In the past 72  hours, the Netcare 911 call centre has dispatched emergency vehicles to almost 230 collisions throughout Gauteng.

From 5pm on Friday until 5pm on Saturday, emergency vehicles were dispatched to 105 incidents including motor vehicle and pedestrian collisions.

From 5pm on Saturday until 5pm on Sunday, emergency vehicles were dispatched to 66 incidents including motor vehicle and pedestrian collisions.

From 5pm on Sunday until 5pm on Monday , emergency vehicles were dispatched to 57 incidents including motor vehicle and pedestrian collisions.
 
Below is a list of some of the more serious incidents:
 
 
Bakkie and caravan crash off N14: Around 14:45pm, Monday 28 April 2008:
Paramedics responded to a report of a serious collision on the N14 direction towards Krugersdorp between the William Nicol (R511) and  Malibongwe (R512) off ramps.
It was alleged that the family were returning from a getaway when their bakkie, which was towing a caravan, crashed down an embankment.
The mother, daughter and son, who was ejected from the vehicle, sustained a variety of very serious injuries while the father sustained serious injuries. Fire fighters had to use the “jaws of life” to remove the roof of the bakkie to free the daughter from the wreck. All four of the patients were transported to the Netcare Olivedale hospital for further treatment.
 
 
N12 pile-up: Around 11:40am, Monday 28 April 2008:
Netcare 911 paramedics responded to a report of a multiple vehicle pile-up on the N12 direction east between the Puttfontein and Springs Daveyton off ramps.
It appeared that about 15 vehicles including an overturned minibus taxi, that came to rest on its roof, were involved in two separate multi-vehicle collisions in the same vicinity after a red car came to a dead stop in the highway due to very poor visibility caused by a veldt fire. This resulted in two pile-ups that were about 20 meters apart. Paramedics attended to approximately 25 patients, 8 of which had slightly more serious injuries while the majority sustained minor injuries. Netcare 911 ambulances transported 12 of the injured to hospitals and the remainder of the injured were transported by other ambulance services.
 
 
Fiery N1 smash: Around 04:40am, Monday 28 April 2008:
Netcare 911 responded to a report of a serious collision on the N1 direction towards Midrand between the Old Johannesburg and Samrand off ramps.

Paramedics arrived to find that one of the vehicles had been hit from behind and side swiped by the other. The car sustained severe damage along the passenger side and subsequently burst into flames. The father, who was driving, managed to save his baby daughter from the car but tragically despite his efforts he was unable to rescue his wife and their five year old son from the wreck and they died at the scene. The father was very lucky to escape with only minor injuries possibly caused from the impact or whilst trying to save his family and he refused further medical attention.

The driver of the other vehicle fled from the  scene. 
A Netcare 911 trauma councillor attended to the family members at the scene and offered further support after transporting the father to his family and in-laws. 
 
 
Around 2:30pm Sunday 27 April 2008:
The driver was killed when his motorbike collided with the protective barrier on the N3 in the Buccleuch Interchange heading towards the Marlboro drive off ramp.
The victim was unidentified and died at the scene, authorities were hoping to try and identify him by tracing the motorbikes registration plates.

Paramedics advise that all members of the public carry some sort of identification and list of contact numbers that can be called in the event of a serious emergency.  
 
Around 2pm, Saturday 26 April 2008:
A vehicle that was travelling in a westerly direction crossed over the middle divide and collided head-on with another vehicle that was travelling in an easterly direction, this occurred on the N12 approximately 500m before the Xavier road off ramp.

A three year old boy died at the scene, two other children were in a critical condition, two adults sustained serious injuries and one adult sustained minor injuries.

Traffic on the N12 travelling towards Alberton was severely affected by the partial closure of the road. There was a serious oil spill that needed to be cleared before the road was reopened to traffic which was more than two hours later.
The injured were transported by ambulances to the Netcare Union and Baragwaneth hospitals.  
 
13h39, Saturday 26 April 2008:
Three vehicles were involved in a fatal collision on the N1 between the Malibongwe and Beyers Naude off ramps in Randburg.

A vehicle that was travelling on the N1 towards the Malibongwe off ramp collided with the side of another vehicle before crossing over the middle island and colliding head-on with another vehicle that was travelling in the opposite direction towards the Beyers Naude off ramp. This section of the N1 is notorious for head-on collisions as there are no armco barriers to prevent vehicles from crossing over onto the opposite side of the highway.

The elderly male driver of the vehicle that was travelling towards the Beyers Naude off ramp died at the scene. Three other victims sustained serious injuries and they were transported by ambulances to private and provincial hospitals for further treatment.The road remained partially closed for about two hours while emergency crews were busy and the Metro polices’ specialist Accident Investigation Unit conducted their investigation.

The collision caused a severe backlog on the N1 affecting motorists travelling towards Roodepoort as only one lane of the highway was open for traffic to pass. The backlog stretched back past the Malibongwe off ramp and this resulted in another collision, one male patient was transported by ambulance to hospital, he had sustained a fracture to his femur.
Motorists are advised to slow down to a safe travelling speed and approach collision scenes with caution. Remember that rescuers are attending to the injured and have little in the form of protection should a stray vehicle crash into the scene.
 
 
The majority of these incidents were attended to by paramedics from the private and provincial ambulance services, fire department and the Metro police.

Other driver flees scene as mom and child are killed in fiery N1 smash

At approximately 04h41 this morning, Monday 28 April 2008, Netcare 911 responded to a report of a serious collision on the N1 direction from Pretoria towards Midrand between the Old Johannesburg and Samrand off ramps.

Paramedics arrived to find that one of the vehicles had been hit from behind and side swiped by the other. The car sustained severe damage along the passenger side and subsequently burst into flames. The father, who was driving, managed to save his baby daughter from the car but tragically despite his efforts he was unable to rescue his wife and their five year old son from the wreck and they died at the scene. The father was very lucky to escape with only minor injuries possibly caused from the impact or whilst trying to save his family and he refused further medical attention. The driver of the other vehicle fled from the scene.

A Netcare 911 trauma councillor attended to the family members at the scene and offered further support after transporting the father to his family and in-laws.

This incident was attended to by Netcare 911, provincial fire and ambulance services and the police.

[ Information provided by Netcare 911 to the Road Safety & Arrive Alive Blog]

NETCARE 911
Emergency No. 082 911

Community activism required for road safety

Road Safety authorities and non-government organizations across the world do their best to design and implement road safety strategies. All of this contributes towards road safety but will not be successful if there is not a “buy –in” from the community. Road accidents have become one of the biggest causes of death amongst the younger generation and it is still amongst this group that we find the feeling of “invincibility” - and a reluctance to adhere to the requests for seat belt wearing, sober driving etc.

It is with joy and appreciation when road safety enthusiasts find that others are adhering to the request for road safety. Earlier this week the Arrive Alive Road Safety website received a letter of appeal from the Rustenburg Community for greater attention to road safety on the N4. I would like to quote a section from this letter:

“ It was with a sense of camaraderie that I went onto your website, keen to find out more about Arrive Alive. Congratulations, the concept is brilliant and for me, and I commend you on your initiative. It is wonderful to know there are people out there who care. It certainly fuelled me to continue with my plight!…. Would you mind taking some time to look through my attached appeal and to understand the history and nature of the appeal? I would really value some information on the accident incident data on this stretch of road, if only to confirm that it is not acceptable. We are a small community that has been hit hard in losing loved ones and broken family units and we are unanimously left feeling really helpless, knowing there is little or no promise of a safer network. Many of us are faced with the prospect of transporting our children for the next 5 years along this highway. Just last night traveling back from dropping my son off for a school tournament I was witness to yet another fatality: 4 people killed with another head-on-collision. Suffice to say you quietly thank God that your offspring are nowhere near you on that highway.

I am an ‘appy’ in these matters; but a determined one. Would you be kind enough to advise me as to how I can use your wonderful product to enhance our plight to clean up the Bakwena N4? I know we are small in the big picture of Road Saftey, but I do believe it begins at home and with a responsible community, much can be achieved to keep our families alive on the roads,

Please find below and attached draft of appeal from the Rustenburg community. I know it has a long way to go, but would welcome any input…”

Community activism can contribute significantly towards enhancing awareness of road safety. It is however also required that this is not a one-way communication – but rather a two way effort to respond and address the issues raised!

May we all contribute towards addressing road safety and save lives on the road!

27 Percent of Fleet Operators using Vehicle Tracking Technology

More than one in four UK fleets is using tracking within their vehicle operations according to new research from fleet solutions provider DigiCore. The results from the Vehicle Tracking Survey 2008 – conducted amongst 150 fleet decision makers and influencers – also claim three quarters of companies using a tracking system are achieving value from the technology.

In particular, the research found that uptake was greatest amongst commercial vehicle fleets (30 per cent) and fleet operators with more than 100 vehicles (31 per cent). Furthermore, penetration was particularly high in the utilities (86 per cent), logistics and road transport (40 per cent), and service management (38 per cent) sectors.

Fleet operators achieving payback from their investment in vehicle tracking are achieving a range of benefits including increased productivity (54 per cent), reduced costs (44 per cent), and fleet performance (46 per cent). In terms of reduced costs, fleet operators are now achieving on average a 12 per cent saving on their fuel bill and lowering overtime claims by 13 per cent.

In fact, 85 per cent of vehicle tracking users said they were satisfied with their current solutions provider. In many cases, a strong relationship was critical to receiving an effective vehicle tracking solution, and service levels, supplier responsiveness, and back-office support were actually highlighted more often than competitive pricing and product functionality.

However, some negativity towards the vehicle tracking sector does exists with 35 per cent of respondents not using a tracking system suggesting that the reputation of the industry was being affected by the financial viability of operators, overselling and technology concerns.

Of those companies not using vehicle tracking, more than half of have considered investing in the technology, but over a third are still unaware of the benefits it can provide. In addition, only 48 per cent of these fleet operators thought tracking could benefit their business, and only 44 per cent believed it could offer a return on investment.

Commenting on the findings, Tom O’Connor, Managing Director of DigiCore UK Ltd said: “The results of the Vehicle Tracking Survey 2008, suggest that an increasing number of fleet operators are utilising tracking technology to better manage and control their vehicle operations. However, there is still much work to be done by solutions providers to enhance the image industry and develop systems that best meet the needs of the fleet sector.

DigiCore Group CEO Nick Vlok remarked “This survey reconfirms trends reported by our other 31 operations around the global who are all experiencing rapid growth in the implementation of our range of awarding winning C-track GPS Fleet management solutions ( www.ctrack.com ) enjoying the accompanying benefits”.

A full copy of the results can be downloaded at www.digicore.com

ABOUT VEHICLE TRACKING SURVEY 2008

The 2008 Vehicle Tracking Survey was conducted amongst 150 fleet influencers and decision makers within the UK. The respondents were made up of professionals that are either responsible or influence car, van, commercial vehicle or mixed fleet operations for their companies. The Survey was designed to measure the uptake of vehicle tracking amongst fleet operators, how the technology is being used, and what barriers are preventing more companies adopting a solution.

ABOUT DIGICORE

DigiCore Holdings is a Johannesburg Stock Exchange Listed group, a global company with more than 22 years’ experience developing and implementing end-to-end vehicle tracking and fleet management solutions. Its advanced C-track technology is fitted to almost 300,000 vehicles operating in 32 countries across 5 continents.

DigiCore Group works in partnership with its customers to develop solutions that deliver measurable business and operational benefits by providing total visibility and control of mobile assets and mobile work forces. DigiCore utilises a range of vehicle location, fleet management, satellite navigation and security tools, to provide commercial vehicle, van and car fleet operators with scaleable solutions that offer flexibility, reliability and functionality.

Driver killed as car burns after crashing over middle island on N1 + long weekend stats

At approximately 23h48 on Thursday night, 24 April 2008, Netcare 911 responded to a report of a serious collision and fire on the N1 northbound just before the Malibongwe (R512) off ramp, Randburg.

Tyre marks indicated that a vehicle travelling on the N1 southbound skidded off the highway and crossed over the unprotected middle island (no centre armco/crash barrier) resulting in a collision with another car travelling in a northerly direction. The one car sustained significant impact damage and caught fire and was totally burnt out. Fire fighters extinguisher the fire but tragically the remains of one occupant, believed to be the driver, were recovered from the wreck. The driver of the other vehicle (pic 9635) was in a serious but stable condition and was transported by ambulance to hospital for further treatment.

This incident was attended to by the private ambulance services, fire department and the Metro Police as well as the Metro Polices specialist “Accident Investigation Unit”. The highway was closed to traffic for more than two hours and motorists were diverted onto the Malibongwe (R512) off ramp to bypass the scene.

Many fatalities:
This section of the N1 highway is notorious for fatal collisions. There are no protective armco barriers between the two highways which travel in opposite directions and this frequently results in partial or head-on collisions when vehicles cross over the middle island and collide with oncoming traffic. The previous fatal collision on the N1 (as a result of a vehicle crossing over the middle island) between William Nicol drive (R511) and Malibongwe drive (R512) occurred on 26 March 2008 and on that occasion 1 person died at the scene, 1 critical patient was airlifted and 2 other patients sustained serious injuries.
Emergency services believe that a protective barrier between the two highways would most certainly reduce the number of head-on collisions and possibly prevent the deaths of innocent road users as it is almost impossible to swerve out and avoid a head-on collision with a vehicle that crosses over the middle island only meters in front of you while both vehicles are travelling at relatively high speeds.
Although there are sections which have armco barriers, the majority of the N1 between the Buccleuch Interchange and the Grasmere toll plaza does not offer centre island crash/armco barriers.

Long weekend collision stats:
At the same time, since midnight 25 April 2008, the Netcare 911 call centre has dispatched emergency vehicles to almost 60 collisions throughout South Africa. Although his number is not particularly high, the national roads will probably be busier than normal as many people are expected to take full advantage of the upcoming two day working week.
Drivers are encouraged to rest thoroughly before undertaking long journeys, stop and stretch/rest regularly (every 2 hours or 200km), ensure all occupants of the vehicle are wearing their safety belts, switch on your vehicles headlights to make yourself more visible to other road users, do not speed, do not drink and drive, always keep a safe following distance and be on the lookout for pedestrians.

Regards,

[ Information provided by Netcare 911 to the Road Safety & Arrive Alive Blog]

NETCARE 911
Emergency No. 082 911

Why don’t we plan for vehicle recovery as well?

Motorists give much attention to road safety and the need to plan their trip. This includes the need to check roadworthiness and to schedule rest stops. We often do not plan for the eventuality of an accident or our vehicle braking down next to the road.

Road users need to be aware of the dangers of vehicle breakdowns – not only to their safety next to the road – but to their wallets! Dealing with the wrong tow truck operators might lead to excessive costs for towing, storage etc. The South African Towing and Recovery Association (SATRA) has acknowledged that non-members have been found to exploit the distressed motorist and that the industry is in need of regulatory control.

The Arrive Alive website has decided to include more information on these dangers as well as advice and recommendations for motorists. We often neglect to plan for situations of emergency – and help might be closer at hand…

Most short term insurance contracts have stipulations pertaining to road side assistance and vehicle owners often seek additional road side assistance cover. Are we aware of the procedures to follow and the numbers to dial? I believe most of us are not!

It is also important to focus on our cellular phone contracts and the additional services provided by our cellular operators to their clients. These often include road side assistance. It is not necessary to pay excessive additional costs for services already available to us!

The section ”Recovery of Vehicle after Accident / Dealing with Tow Truck Operators” has important recommendations for motorists, and amongst these we might do well to focus on the following:

• If your vehicle is insured, contact your insurer or broker and ask for information on the procedure to follow – have this available in your vehicle at all times.
• If you have insurance cover that includes towing charges, call the emergency towing assistance number (usually on a sticker provided by the insurance company).
• The roadside assistance services provided by motor manufacturers and cellular service providers inevitably come at an extra cost so if you buy a new car or cell phone contract and roadside assistance forms part of the deal, make sure you are not paying extra for it if you already have this service through someone else.

Visit the Arrive Alive Website for more information on vehicle recovery after an accident or breakdown.