Everyone thinks it wont happen to them. Especially young drivers they believe that theyre invincible.

. But the reality is that anyone can have an accident while driving even professional racing drivers! Even if its not your fault, you can still lose life or limb because of some other road users silly mistakes.

TER 7: CHAP

Safety oad on the r

Besides, she knows what shes doing or so she believes. Actually, she doesnt. 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 shes 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 whats ahead and if its safe to overtake. Jill has had many close calls, but hasnt learned.

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

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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 thats long enough to allow overtaking by other cars. This allows other road users to overtake you, slot safely into the gap youve left, and await an opportunity to overtake the next vehicle Vehicles travelling close together create a very long vehicle thats more difficult to overtake, increasing the risk of an accident Even if no ones behind you, leaving a large gap increases your line of sight and safety margin

ConSider the ConditionS Bad weather? Well thats another story. When the roads are wet, its 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. Shes lucky shes alive.

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), dont brake or steer. Stop accelerating until you feel your tyres make contact with the road

If youre 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 ou r advice in good or bad weather conditi ons, always stay thre e cars lengths from the car in front of yo u. This means th at, if

youre hit from behind, theres time and space to steer aw ay from the vehi cle in front. Always ch eck your blind sp ots before changin g lanes. A mom entary peek can be all you need to avoi d an accident.

St line deFenCe iS the Fir

demon driverS According 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 drivers 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 drivers vision is probably obscured A vehicle with a driver who does not appear to be giving his full attention to the road

oF at taCk e driver when it Always be a defensiv lists, and aggrescomes to children, cyc n t the unexpected. Pla sive drivers: expec d them t yourself an a defence to protec ngers they present. against the da for every single It is vitally important me older ones too!) young driver (and so ed driver training to invest in an advanc bally successful programme. Fords glo e programme is a Driving Skills for Lif classroom and great option; it mixes help increase the practical training to ving techniques. awareness of safe dri ch you to be a safe And it wont only tea

lp you improve fuel driver; it will also he time advantages efficiency (think big er your CO2 to your wallet) and low emissions. guys and girls Finally, one word for d then drive: no. who love to party an wer, and the stats Your reactions are slo alities resulting show far too many fat to convince us from drunk driving es for speeding. It otherwise. Same go as simple as that. kills. Dont do it. Its ueS avoid holiday bl nning a long on holiday? When pla Going fatigue. Turning trip, be aware of driver or opening the up the sound system

Remember, if you cannot see the mirrors of the vehicle in front of you, that driver cant see you!
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window wont 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 its 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.

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 Dont load your car until its 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-conditioning set to a cool not cold temperature Keep an eye on the fuel level to make sure you dont run dry. Running out of fuel on a motorway 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 enable the driver to re-route quickly and relatively easily, but they can be expensive. Its always best to plan the journey before hitting the road, using a map or online journey planner

Remember:
Do regular visual checks Lumps/bumps could mean internal damage: remove and have an expert check it
rubber alert

Never 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.

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

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50%

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

Five fast life-saving tips

Take it easy at night. Young drivers have a high proportion of their crashes at night Dont drink and drive. And dont accept a lift from someone who has been drinking or might have taken drugs. Remember, some over-the-counter medicines can also cause drowsiness

Cheap iS not alwayS beSt! Its sometimes tempting to buy counterfeit or non-factory parts, because the perception exists that theyre cheap. And thats sometimes true they may be cheaper than the genuine thing. But, according to scientific studies (were 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 dont know if theyre 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 youre an expert in this field, its 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

Always use a hands free kit when talking on the phone while driving. And dont 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 youre driving Buckle up. Always. And get your passengers to do the same

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 Fords Customer Service Division, Asia Pacific and Africa. Whatever you do, dont take a chance the single most important thing is remaining safe on the road.

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