Business Tech recently published an article titled ‘The most dangerous times on South African roads’, citing a study from the South African Journal of Science that focused on current fatality statistics as well as current motoring trends. Researchers have found that 10, 613 fatal accidents occurred from 1 January – 31 December 2015, resulting in 12,994 fatalities. For every 5 accidents that occurred, 3 happened on weekends (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays) and around 40% of the accidents happened in the late afternoon/evening (16:00-22:00).
Even though it is not ideal to drive late at night, we do know that some circumstances call for late night driving, like family emergencies. In this blog, we discuss some safety tips for driving at night.
Maintain your speed
Keep your speed steady but within the speed limit so that you don’t confuse drivers behind you, but still controlled enough so that you are able to react quickly enough if there is a sudden obstruction
Keep your windscreen clean
Visibility is reduced at night because of the darkness. So, make sure that you remove all small factors that may compromise visibility. As a starting point, keep your windscreen, mirrors and windows clean to ensure that your vision is not blurred by dirt.
Pay attention to your surroundings
Look out for pedestrians, especially in residential areas and busy areas where there’s lots of nightlife. . Avoid driving in high accident zones and hijacking prone areas.
Never use your phone while driving, not even on hands-free mode. The only time you should be using your phone is before you leave and when you have arrived at your destination.
Be prepared
Always carry an emergency kit in case you have a breakdown. Have a look at the car essentials available on our online shop to build up your emergency kit.
Follow these tips and it will still be possible to earn your Safe Dayz when driving at night.
How we reward you for being safer
You could earn a cash-back safety bonus of up to 30% of your premiums if you have Multiply Premier or up to 10% of your premiums if you have Multiply Starter, even if you claim with Momentum Short-term insurance. You also get points for completing the new and improved safety questionnaire, activating Safe Dayz™ and making sure that you are safer.
You might also want to read this post on cost-effective ways to keep your home safe.
References
The most dangerous times on South African Roads -Business Tech
South African Journal of Science
