I know that many of you are planning to travel across our vast and beautiful country over the December break. But before you pack, please read our road trip safety tips.
Your car is about to become a moving family room! Here are some of our safety tips to consider before your next epic adventure.
Go for a tune-up.
For safe travels and your overall sanity, make sure your car is in good working order. We recommend that you have your tyres, battery, seat belts and fluids checked by a mechanic before you leave.
Everyone loves a South African summer, but if you plan on towing a boat/trailer in our Highveld heat, you may need motor oil with a higher viscosity, your engine’s taking enough strain with all you hefty okes headed to the Vaal!
Get a good night’s sleep.
Driving drowsy is just as dangerous as driving drunk, and contributes to over 100 000 accidents annually. If your steering wheel starts to look more and more like a pillow, swap with a partner or pull over somewhere safe ASAP!
Give your baby seat a boost.
If you’re travelling with your little one, make sure your baby seats are installed properly! Eight out of 10 aren’t, putting your little bundles at serious risk.
Gear up for safety…. Pack an emergency kit.
This won’t get you through a zombie apocalypse but the items we recommend are:
- Water
- Warm blankets
- A flashlight
- Jumper cables
- Tools to change a tyre
- A fully charged cell phone
- A first-aid kit
Be sun smart.
After all this is Sunny South Africa! Make sure everyone’s got sunblock and Ray Bans! You may even want to pop hats on your little ones’ heads and invest in a sunshade for your backseat.
If you leave the car, cover your baby seats with blankets so they don’t get too hot, a baby’s skin is very tender and could burn easily.
Check the back.
Make sure child safety locks are activated on windows and doors within reach of curious hands. Look around for choking hazards…. Knobs that pop off easily, loose change between the seat cushions, and remove potential missiles (hard books, toys, etc.)
If your car is traveling at 100kms per hour, so is everything else in it. If you stop suddenly or have an accident, anything that’s not strapped down will keep moving at that speed until it hits something, so try to keep the weight down, and fasten everything that’s loose.
Safe travels!