It’s too early for car accidents!

TAFTER THOUGHTS GUESTVWOIRCITEER

ODAY I woke up to two of my Facebook friends talking about how they escaped near fatal accidents during this week, and last week someone posted a status about how they found three different accident scenes on the same road in one day. It’s not even December yet, but it’s almost that time of the year where such stories form part of the daily reports.

I remember a few weeks ago when it rained for just a few days and during that week, the Times of Eswatini Facebook page was filled with accident reports, most of which had occurred along the notorious Malagwane Hill. Mehlwabovu is another accident zone that is worsened by the steep hill, coupled with patches of oil spills that turn that place into a nightmare to drive up and down.

Warn

We always have good Samaritans who always take the time to warn of such around the festive season, but I feel like the way accidents are occurring, it may be the right time to start this conversation. I know that it’s hard to tell people to drive safely, especially after they have had a few drinks, and that sometimes accidents involve people who are safe and careful when driving.

But how can we avoid accidents so that we can have a safe December and actually enjoy our holidays?

The first cause of accidents, which may not be the main, are high speeds. People seem to be always in a hurry, rushing somewhere, overtaking at zones where they aren’t supposed to because they are in a hurry. Well, the first caution to take in order to avoid accidents is to always keep a safe following distance. People may apply brakes anytime because of what’s in front of them, such as livestock, and as someone who is following you need to be able to avoid hitting them when they do so.

Deadlines

Unfortunately some people, who are always trying to meet deadlines such as NGO drivers, will literally drive right behind the other car’s bumper while hooting and flicking their lights for the car to move. This creates anxiety in the person driving in front of you and once they start panicking, they can cause an accident. Meeting deadlines and timelines must not affect motorists on the road. Any other person who gets to the road and starts rushing others must ensure that they leave early so that they don’t have to drive at high speeds.

Do not drive when drowsy or under the influence. People who drive when under the influence of alcohol are most likely to cause fatal accidents because they may drive recklessly, or may fall asleep behind the wheel. When you research about the leading cause of accidents, driving while drunk is right up there, at the top. People tend to drink daily nowadays; they don’t wait for weekends anymore, which explains the number of accidents that occur during the week. To avoid this, people must normalise getting a sober driver or calling a taxi to take them home after drinking.

Single vehicle accidents occur too, and they include collisions with road barriers, debris or animals. It’s not hard to help prevent them, just drive right for the weather. Even if your vehicle is the only one on the road on a rainy day, drive at a speed that will allow you to maintain control. Just because you are the only person on the road, it doesn’t mean it’s okay to text or make hands-on phone calls while driving. You never know what might happen or if the condition will change, so it’s important to pay attention.

Intersections are also common places where accidents occur. The one intersection that is notorious for that is the one at Nazarene in Manzini. Distracted drivers may miss traffic signals changing from green to yellow to red, or they don’t notice vehicles pausing before making turns.

Practice

Practice defensive driving to help avoid accidents, take a moment after the light turns green to make sure that no vehicle comes through, or when drivers try their luck to quickly drive through just as the light turns green.

Whether you’re backing out of a parking spot or your driveway, accidents can happen. The best thing you can do to avoid accidents when backing up is to avoid having to back up in the first place. When and where possible, park in a way where you won’t have to back up into traffic, such as pulling through or backing into a parking spot. Another helpful tip; drive vehicles that have a backup camera. If your car doesn’t have one, you can have one installed. I hope these tips will be helpful as we prepare for a happy and accident free festive season.