Gear up for a safe holiday drive

Christmas is around the corner and you may be planning on going away for the holidays. For those of us not flying, but taking on the adventure of a road trip (because who doesn’t like being in a confined space, forced to listen to someone else’s music choices for hours on end with limited toilet breaks?), safety on the road is not a given.

Between 1 December 2024 and 11 January 2025, more than 1,500 people died on South Africa’s roads, more than 16,000 cars were deemed not roadworthy, 414 people were arrested for speeding and one prize idiot thought it was a good idea to drive at 245km/h.

Marius Kemp, head of personal lines underwriting at Santam, notes that there was a 2.38% increase in fatalities from the 2023/2024 festive season. “Poor lighting accounted for 16% of fatal road crashes last year [the 2024/25 festive season],” says Kemp.

He adds that inclement weather should also form part of your planning. “According to the Road Traffic Management Corporation, slippery road surfaces were the cause of almost 21% of fatal road accidents during the 2024/25 festive season – a big jump up from 7.9% the previous year.”

Kemp advises checking the weather forecasts for the various areas along your route and being flexible enough to make changes when the weather is going to be bad.

Another increasingly common cause of road accidents is the poor state of many South African roads and infrastructure. “This means drivers need to take further caution against speeding or drunk driving, because on unfamiliar roads, you simply don’t know what lies beyond the next corner. Doing safety and roadworthy checks on your vehicle before heading out on a road trip is therefore even more important,” says Kemp.

Key tyre safety checks include the following:

• Check for punctures, cuts and bulges, which could potentially increase your risk of a flat or burst tyre;
• Look for areas of uneven wear and tear, which are a sure sign that your wheel alignment is off and needs to be balanced and realigned;
• Ensure the tread depth of your tyres is well above the minimum regulatory 1.6mm to avoid the possibility of aquaplaning on wet roads. This will also ensure that any potential insurance claim isn’t compromised;
• Apply the same checks to your spare tyre, ensuring it conforms to basic safety standards to avoid any potential risks in the event of a blowout or flat tyre; and
• Regularly check your tyre pressure. If you’re unsure about the correct pressure for your car, check the owner’s manual or look for pressure figures on the inside of the driver’s door or inside the fuel tank cap.

Additionally, Kemp advises checking that your wipers, headlights and indicators are working correctly. “Lastly, inspect your suspension system to handle the bumps and dips caused by uneven roads, and always make sure you have a fully equipped spare tyre and the necessary tools in case of emergencies,” advises Kemp. DM

This story first appeared in our weekly DM168 newspaper, available countrywide for R35.