The Arrive Alive Road Safety website would like to wish all road users a safe festive season on the road. This Festive Season we would like to combine the very serious message of Road Safety with a few cartoons to add a smile to the face of the South African motorist!

We would like to share the following suggestions to keep you safe on the roads of South Africa.

Planning the Journey and Rules of the Road

• Obey the rules of the road and carry you drivers licence with you. 
• Plan the route to your holiday destination and give yourself enough time to reach the destination.
• Use a GPS navigation tool or a road atlas to plan your trip in advance.
• For peace of mind, try to stick to major routes or toll roads - If you are going to travel on the ‘back roads’ identify the towns along the route and what the distance is between them.
• Do not get stranded without fuel – Always plan ahead where you will re-fuel.
• Plan rest stops along the way and if you are travelling with kids it is a great way to let them know when and where you will be stopping.

• Always ensure that a friend or family member, who is not travelling with you, is aware of the route that you are planning to travel. Ideally you should also update them on your progress of the journey and let them know when you have reached your destination safely.
• Try to avoid driving after dark if possible.
• Expect others not to be as obedient to the law as yourself. 

Vehicle Fitness

• Make sure that your vehicle is in a roadworthy condition before departure.
• All lights and indicators, windscreen wipers, brakes, steering, exhaust system and tyres should be carefully examined for faults.
• Take your vehicle for a full check before embarking on your holiday travels!
• Check your shock absorbers before starting your trip!
• Do not overload your vehicle.

Driver Fitness

• Have a good rest before you embark on your journey.
• Take safety breaks every 2 hours or 200km 
• Do not drink and drive - . If you intend to consume alcohol make alternative arrangements so you will not be behind the wheel.
• Remain alert at all times and avoid Driver Distractions such as cellular conversations, texting etc!
• Be responsible with seatbelt wearing - Always wear your seat belt and see that everyone in the car is wearing theirs.
• South African law requires each passenger being transported in a motor vehicle to make use of the seatbelts and strap themselves in. It is the driver’s responsibility to make sure all passengers are strapped in mains strapped in while travelling. It is a criminal offence for an adult to allow a child younger than 14 years to travel unrestrained in a vehicle equipped with seatbelts or a car safety seat.
• Infants and children under the age of 12 should travel in the back seat of a vehicle and should be buckled up, either in a car seat, booster seat or using the cars seatbelt, depending on the age and weight of the child.
• Infants between 0 months and one year of age, or up to 10kg in weight, should travel in a rear facing car seat in the back of a car. In the event of an accident, the impact will be on the seat and not on the infant.

Defensive Driving Behaviour

• Drive defensively! Risk takers are collision makers!
• Be visible – drive with your lights on!
• Headlights should be dipped well before an approaching vehicle is within range of the main beam.
• Stay within the speed limit at all times.
• Be especially alert when approaching traffic lights, intersections and level crossings.

• Only overtake when it is absolutely safe to do so!
• Maintain at least a 2 second following distance - this distance should be increased at night, in foggy or rainy conditions and when the road is wet.
• Avoid driving on the blind spot of other vehicles.

• Be courteous towards fellow road users - keep your temper and resist the temptation to retaliate.
• Be cautious when driving alone, and avoid stopping in remote areas.
• Remain alert to any areas that might present a threat of criminal activity such as hijackings and smash-and-grab.
• Always place your valuables in the boot of your car and never leave items such as cell phones and wallets in open sight, unattended, or on the seat of a car

Recognizing the Safety of All Road Users

• Try to recognize potentially dangerous drivers on and pedestrians alongside the road and keep well clear of them.
• Try to keep children away from the roads! The roads are not the place to play!
• When waking near traffic – avoid distractions and be visible!
• Motorists must be aware of pedestrians and animals on the open road specifically near more rural areas.

• Bikers should drive with lights on and wear Protective Clothing at all times
• Bikers should never hang out in a truck's blind spot or "No-Zone."
• Be extra cautious, paying attention to the signals and brake lights of other vehicles, especially trucks.

• When cycling during the holidays remember that there is strength to be found in numbers.
• Do not go on the road alone and rather find a partner to cycle with you - This will be very important especially in the event of an emergency.
• Inform friends and family when you will be cycling, the road you will be cycling on and when you can be expected to return.
• Carry a fully charged cellular phone with you so you can request assistance in the event of an emergency.
• The law requires that you cycle in single file and with a safety helmet.

Safe Driving in Challenging Road Conditions

• Always adjust your driving to the driving conditions and environment.
• If it is raining, turn your headlights and windscreen wipers on. Try to reduce speed and try not to brake suddenly. Often there is oil and petrol on the road, which can cause you to skid out of control.
• If there is fog, reduce speed, turn headlights on low, or use fog lamps. Use the road markings or the verge of the road as a guide and be very alert for sudden looming obstacles.

• Always keep in mind – if you cannot see or operate the vehicle safely – You should not be driving!
• Travelling with small children can be a challenge. Small children can get bored and irritable on long trips so make sure you pack a variety of their favourite snacks and toys such as portable DVD players, colouring books and crayons.
• If your child tends to suffer from motion sickness and complains of dizziness or nausea, this can be helped by getting out of the car for a bit of fresh air. Alternatively, there are over the counter drugs available for treating motion sickness, which need to be taken before embarking on your journey. 

Emergency stops and Accidents

• Try to avoid stopping on the highway, rather take the next off ramp to stop in a more public area where you can stretch, refresh yourself and/or take a break from driving; and have numbers for roadside assistance and other emergencies close at hand or saved on your cell phone, so that you are well-prepared for any eventuality.
• Keep essential roadside equipment with you as many breakdowns are caused by relatively minor problems. Items include a first aid kit, tow rope, warning triangles, torch and fire extinguisher.
• In the event of an accident, determine the extent of the damage or injuries and assess whether or not medical attention is required.
• Take a picture with a camera or mobile phone and file an accident report with the police as you will need a case number for your insurance company to file a claim. Remember to get names, addresses, telephone numbers and ID numbers of everyone involved in the accident

Share these suggestions with your family and friends – And may you and your family have a happy and safe festive season!!

[Advice from www.arrivealive.co.za]

What do I do in an Emergency?

• Know the Emergency numbers

• Where do I report Bad Driving?

National Traffic Call Centre Number:             0861 400 800      

Assist Emergency Response Units by

• Ensuring they have information on hand when calling - accurate address details and nature of the incident.  
• Landmarks are useful and if no street names exist, agree on a meeting area at a specific landmark.  
• Allowing emergency vehicle right of way to respond to the emergencies and giving way timeously.  
• Allowing access to the scene of the incident and patient/s. 
• Send someone to meet the vehicles, ensure that security at entrance points are made aware of emergencies in complexes,  
• Switch on some outside lights if incident is at night 
• Clear access routes and lock away any dangerous or vicious domestic animals.

• Help is at Hand!

Road Safety Information on your Mobile phone – www.arrivealive.mobi

Cartoons by our friend Fred Mouton

Also View

• Road Safety with a Cautious Smile for Festive Season 2012

Introduction / Background to the Arrive Alive Website

2012 has proved once more that hard work and a committed team effort are required to improve safety on the roads of South Africa. There are too many road crashes, injuries and fatalities which could have been prevented!

This cannot be done merely by Government and traffic officials but will require cooperation with the private sector, NGO’s, community activists and private citizens. We are pleased that during the past year many more made the commitment towards road safety via the iPledge Campaign and through their commitment towards Road Safety NGO’s. On the 20^th of December the RTMC also launched a new road safety initiative called Get There No Regrets.

The Arrive Alive online initiative is only one such initiative, based on a passionate personal commitment towards road safety, which strives to create more awareness on road safety. It is important to recognize that together we can do so much more!

What you might not know about ArriveAlive.co.za:

• It is now 10 years since we started working on the Arrive Alive website – and on the 13^th of March 2013 it will be exactly 10 years since the launch of the Arrive Alive website.
   
• The website is a personal commitment towards creating road safety awareness in memory of my mom who died in a road traffic crash on the 3^rd of December 1972.
   
• Arrive Alive is a road safety strategy started by the Department of Transport in the late 1990’s.
   
• The Website received a Letter of Endorsement from The Department of Transport in 2007
   
• The development team consists of 1 full time and 2 “part time” members.
   
• The Arrive Alive website and online initiatives are not funded by the Department of Transport or the Road Traffic Management Corporation
   
• NO Funding was received in 2012 from the Department of Transport or the RTMC
   
• There is no marketing budget for these online road safety initiatives and it is funded through cooperation with the private sector.

• The 2012 road fatality statistics supports the belief that it is indeed time for desperate measures!
   
• We need to focus on the 5 E’s required for road safety - Engineering; Education; Encouragement; Enforcement; Evaluation.
   
• There is no place for personal egos in this evaluation - we all should be able to criticise, debate, and rectify what is lacking in our battle to ensure safer roads in South Africa.
   
• It is important to recognize that different parastatals, NGO’s, individuals and corporate initiatives have a variety of skills and expertise to address these E’s required for road safety.
   
• There is a wide variety of road safety initiatives both locally and internationally dedicated to road safety under a wide variety of tag lines.
   
• We need to encourage, promote one another and work together in preventing road injuries and fatalities where the end goal is far more important than personal successes.
   
• The Arrive Alive online initiative is merely one such initiative focusing specifically on raising road safety awareness online. 
   
• Our vision has always been to create an information portal focused on raising awareness of road safety, thereby enhancing Education with regards to road safety.
   
• We will strive to further strengthen these efforts in the next decade of our road safety commitment and seek to cooperate even closer with other road safety campaigns and initiatives.

At the start of the year we need to reflect on our online road safety initiatives during 2012.

This is done not only with the aim of providing feedback to our road safety partners, but also towards improving and defining strategies for 2013. The Arrive Alive website was launched on the 13th of March 2003 with the objective to provide the best possible information portal for Road Safety in South Africa. As new technology has become available, so have our efforts increased to use these technological advances in creating awareness of road safety and facilitating greater interaction between the public and road safety experts, groups and authorities.

Objectives with this Report

The Arrive Alive Website and related Road Safety Initiatives Overview 2012 will provide a detailed overview of:

• the progress made in 2012
   
• initiatives undertaken to improve road safety awareness
   
• mediums used to share information
   
• target audience and wider audience reached
   
• public interaction facilitated
   
• making this possible
   
• how to get involved

Highlights in 2012:

We are pleased that this is the 10^th year of our commitment towards road safety education and awareness.

The Arrive Alive website was an important portal to initiate discussion about road safety in 2012.

Through close cooperation and a committed effort to assist the printed and other media life - saving information were shared across a variety of platforms.

There were a significant number of cross-sharing of media activations with other road safety initiatives such as the Imperial i-Pledge Campaign, Drive More Safely, South Africans Against Drunk Driving etc

At the 2012 Mnet Tag Awards Driving Blind, for client "Arrive Alive" saw Mamta Ramjee being recognised for best concept  - this ad will be given free exposure on DSTV in 2013.

The Arrive Alive Online initiative has become much more than just a website.

New content pages developed and added during 2012 included:

• RoadCover and Personal Injury Claims to the Road Accident Fund
   
• Cycling, Rules of the Road and Road Safety
   
• Rules of the Road and Road Safety within Gated Estates
   
• Baby, Toddler and Booster Seats and Assistance to Parents in Need
   
• Vehicle maintenance and safety guide to roadworthiness of vehicles
   
• Brandhouse Number One Taxi Driver Campaign 2012
   
• History to the K53 Driving Test
   
• Road Safety Tips Easter 2012
   
• Buckle Up Road Safety Campaign focuses on Seatbelt Safety
   
• Hands-Free, Distracted Driving and Road Safety
   
• Road Safety and the science of good driving
   
• TomTom’s Traffic Manifesto and Traffic congestion
   
• Matrix Road Safety Association
   
• Accident Data on the N1 Cape Town to Northern Cape Border
   
• Skin Cancer and Safety on the Road
   
• Simulator Driver Training and Road Safety
   
• Road Safety and the K53 Learner’s & Driver’s Test
   
• Public Roads vs Private Roads and Traffic Enforcement
   
• Road Safety and the Suppression of Bus Fires
   
• New standard for fire suppression systems in engine compartments of buses and coaches
   
• Fleet Insurance for Commercial Vehicles and Road Safety
   
• Road Safety and Preventing Smash-and-Grab
   
• Pedestrian Safety Manual and Advice
   
• Spark Plugs and Safety on the Road
   
• Road Safety with a Cautious Smile for Festive Season 2012

The best tool to analyse traffic flow and visitor numbers is the technology offered through Google Analytics. We would like to share the website traffic as measured by Google Analytics from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2012.

Mobile: ArriveAlive.mobi

Media releases and news stories have also been included during 2012 on the mobile road safety website at

www.arrivealive.mobi

Social Media and Campaigns

To reach a much wider audience for road safety it is important to reach those who are active in the social media environment. Not only is this important to share sections of content and road safety links, but also to share info about the road safety initiatives by our road safety partners.

The ArriveAlive.co.za  website is active on our own platforms on both Facebook and Twitter

As on 1 January 2013:

Facebook Fans 2916http://www.facebook.com/ArriveAlive.co.za

Twitter: Your Tweets 12,966   Followers 9,019  @_ArriveAlive

We are also administrators on 2 larger platforms, allowing us to share news content and media releases with a much wider audience:

Proudly South Africa:  Facebook Fans 39,867

Rugby15: Facebook Fans 17,051    Twitter Followers: 23,571

Arrive Alive.co.za and Additional Media Exposure

It is important that we reach a far wider audience than those with access to the internet. The Arrive Alive online road safety initiatives are also aimed at journalists, reporters, researchers and teachers who are able to gather the road safety information and distribute to a wider audience.

We would like to focus on some of these other media that distributed the road safety information from the Arrive Alive website and recognized this. We have assisted these platforms in providing info, answering requests for information etc.

Magazines:

Cosmopolitan Magazine [Drive It]

Real Magazine

Traffic Focus

Kuier Magazine

Women’s Health Magazine

The Politician Magazine

TaxiNdaba magazine 

Longevity Magazine

Newspapers:

Rapport

Cape Times

TheNewAge

Volksblad

Die Burger

The Ripple Effect newspaper

Television

eNews feature on safe travel

SABC Morning Live

Educational

Assistance rendered to several publishers and publications, including:

Via Afrika Book Publishers

Project Title: “Principles of Marketing”    

"All About South Africa" A guide for young readers incorporating everything about SA. 

Texbooks

Grade 11 Life Orientation Learner Books

Oxford University: English for Success Grade 9

Afrikaans Sonder Grense Graad 5 Leesboek

Achieve English Grade 11 Learners Book

Solutions For All Business Studies Grade 12 Learners Book

Radio

The Arrive Alive website has been approached by several radio stations for interviews and road safety updates, especially during Easter and the December festive season. We have referred many of these to spokespersons at the Department of Transport and the RTMC, or have taken part in interviews radio stations such as:

Radio Sonder Grense

Radio Interview –Radio Rippel with CrisisOnCall

The Voice of the Cape radio station

Radio Rosestad

Company Circulars

The Arrive Alive website has been approached by many corporates with a request for information to be used in their own internal road safety campaigns. This has been included on the intranet of companies and in company newsletters. These companies and forums include:

Eqstra

CrisOnCall Newsletter

Champion, a Transnet safety publication.

Eskom’s internal publication

South African Insurance Crime Bureau Newsletter

Other Websites

An important benefit of an online information portal is the ability to share the website via other websites and blogs. The information from the Arrive Alive website or links to the website has been included on many prominent websites including:

News24 /Health24

Iol.co.za

TheNewAge

Traumasa.co.za

Capemetrorail.co.za

MyBroadband

TheNewAge

Longevitymag

Platinumweekly

Npa.gov.za

Intermediary and Consulting Services

To be not only an effective information portal, but also a mechanism for greater public involvement, we have developed sections to enhance greater public interaction. An often overlooked, yet very important objective is to assist the public in gaining clarity on road safety matters and provide responses to queries raised via the Arrive Alive website.

During 2012 these interactions included:

• Answering many questions from Students
   
• Assisting Companies with advice and information to be used in their own on-site road safety campaigns
   
• Providing feedback to other government departments such as the Department of Energy
   
• Making information available to other safety NGO’s such as Dementia SA

International Assistance:

The reach of the Arrive Alive online initiative is not restricted to the borders of South Africa. During 2012 assistance was requested from several international visitors and information shared with them, including the following:

• Osocio.org – International Non-profit Portal
   
• ILCAD  - International Level Crossing Publication
   
• MVA Fund Service Centre: Namibia
   
• Travel Advice Embassy of Ireland
   
• German Chamber of Commerce and Industry
   
• SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden
   
• Train enthusiast in Brazil

Conferences

The Arrive Alive website has been a media partner to several Road Safety related Conferences

• 3rd Annual Intelligence Strategies For Law Enforcers
   
• Truckers' Forum 2012
   
• Leadership for women in Law Enforcement
   
• Strengthening The Role Of Women In Road Safety
   
• 2nd Southern African Road Safety Conference

Interaction with the Public

Herewith find a detailed summary of how public interaction was facilitated during 2012:

“Contact Us” on ArriveAlive.co.za

- Thousands of e-mails have been received via the “Contact Us” section - these have been responded to and forwarded to the Department of Transport, Road Traffic Management Corporation and various road safety experts for further comment.

These emails are kept in various email folders for later reference.

Emails received and Responded to from the Arrive Alive.co.za website:

Arrive Alive email 2011 Folder: 7071

Arrive Alive 2011 Folder: 2681

Blog Comments on the Road Safety & Arrive Alive Blog

- Visitors to the Road Safety & Arrive Alive Blog as well as Accidents Blog are able to comment on blog posts and also request clarification or answers to specific questions.

- These questions have been answered on the Blog and where appropriate a Blog post has been added to provide additional details to these responses and enable other visitors to benefit from these responses.

Emquiries & Ask the Experts 

- We enable the public to “Ask the Experts” . These experts provide specialised knowledge to members of the public on technical questions.

- Questions are referred to experts in the fields of licensing, testing, enforcement, road freight, legislation, safe driving etc and the answers are added to the website

The requests that could benefit many other visitors as well are also shared on the Blogs in a “Did you Know?” format.

The Wall of Remembrance on the ArriveAlive.co.za website has been developed to support and give recognition to the Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims and compliment the efforts by Government and NGO’s to enhance awareness of road safety!

50 entries by families of road accident victims at 31 December 2012

Reports made via the Arrive Alive website to the National Traffic Call Centre at the RTMC

2822 Reports of Bad Driving & Road Condition Reports

News stories shared on the Arrive Alive Website during 2012

753 From Arrive Alive.co.za

625 Road Safety in the Media

287 Road Safety Highlights

219 Dept. of Transport

Partnerships and Collaboration

It has become more important to cooperate and collaborate in other initiatives as well. In a tough financial environment where NGO’s and small business struggle it has become vital for the survival of this road safety initiative to develop new platforms and to assist others with expertise and consulting services.

The hours of hard work and dedication that goes into these efforts are most often not fully understood and appreciated, and we would like to provide an overview to summarize the effort which has gone into these collaborations during 2012.

Road Safety Blogs

Insurance Blogs

Partnering with Miningsafety.co.za

In the 2010 Online Review we revealed that we will partner in the development of an online initiative to create awareness of safety in the mining industry. This was inspired by past cooperation with and assistance to mining companies in their own road safety campaigns.

It was our vision to share both content and expertise gained during the past few years as online safety consultant. We also expressed our belief that the Arrive Alive website can make a significant contribution to not only safety on our roads -but also to the safety in the Mining Industry!

We are pleased to confirm that this has culminated in the launch of the website at www.miningsafety.co.za on the 1^st of February 2011

Today we can reflect on both hard work and many successes in this partnership.

Road Safety Partners:

To create road safety awareness via the Arrive Alive website and other media we approached companies to partner in these efforts. From our side we provide exposure and recognition to these partners and their road safety involvement on the website and blogs. Our road safety partners as we enter 2013 are:

Arrive Alive:

Imperial –I-Pledge / Toyota South Africa/ OUTsurance / ER24/ TomTom/ Mix Telematics / PG Glass – Shatterprufe/ Gabriel/

Ctrack/ TracN4 /AutoZone /  RoadCover/ PSA/ Breathalayzers.co.za/  SMAC

Insurance Blogs:

OUTsurance / MiWay/ Virseker

Mining Safety:

ER24/ HSE/ iFatigue / Ctrack

We would also like to recognize individuals and groups that made important contributions:

• Chillies and Nelio for allowing us to operate from the Chillies offices in Bloemfontein.
   
• Charl Wilson for website development
   
• Pierre Steenkamp for graphics and multimedia
   
• Internext for webhosting
   
• All the experts – with a special word of appreciation to Howard Dembovsky, Clancinah Baloyi, David Frost, Rob Askew,  , Alta Swanepoel,Corne van de Venter,  Isaiah Mamabolo, Rob Handfield -Jones and Gavin Hoole for the numerous times they have assisted the public.
   
• Those individuals from the Department of Transport and the RTMC who were willing to answer many questions and providing feedback to the public
   
• Journalists, reporters, media editors, webmasters and everyone who assisted in the wider distribution of road safety information from the Website and Blogs
   
• Individuals from SANRAL and the RAF for feedback provided to questions from the Public.
   
• Family, friends and everyone who have been positive and provided words of inspiration.

How can I get involved?

We will continue to commit ourselves to these road safety efforts. There is so much more we can

achieve with the participation of both corporate South Africa and individuals. We recognize that

there are much expertise and knowledge to be gathered in strengthening these efforts.

We would like to invite others to become part of the road safety initiatives. This could include:

- Becoming an Arrive Alive Website partner

We will discuss with such partner how such partnering contribution can be used to develop new sections of content. The partner will be provided with exposure of such a partnership by way of:

Exposure to logos

Sections of Content

Horizontal and other banners/ graphics

Blog Posts and media exposure on the road safety initiatives and corporate social corporate responsibility initiatives of the Partner

- Advisor and Consulting Services

Every person can contribute to road safety irrespective of age, gender or financial status. We would like to invite the public to contribute by sending advice and recommendations on how to achieve greater road safety in South Africa.

We welcome any suggestions on new content or additional means of creating awareness that should be pursued.

We would like to invite visitors to contact us with suggestions at

Contact details:

Adv Johan Jonck

Cell: +27 (82) 370 0991

Email: jonckie@arrivealive.co.za

Click here to download the Arrive Alive online report 2012 in PDF format

• Basic Ambulance Assistant (BAA) – Basic Life Support
• Ambulance Emergency Assistant (AEA) – Intermediate Life Support
• Critical Care Assistant (CCA) – Advanced Life Support

• Matric certificate
• Current HPCSA registration as a BAA for at least SIX months AND
• 1000 documented, verifiable hours of patient care experience as a BAA.

• Matric certificate
• Current HPCSA registration as an AEA for at least ONE year AND
• 1000 documented, verifiable hours of patient care experience as an AEA.

• Set a good example and encourage all students to observe the rules of safety. 
• Must report for duty on time with the proper equipment and attire on. 
• Report all infractions of the rules to their superiors
• Provide assistance to other Patrol members when necessary. 
• Must know and enforce all safety walking and crossing rules.
• Attend regular meetings that would discuss problem areas of traffic and street crossings.

• Responsibility – a focus on the safety of pedestrians is of paramount importance. 
• Punctuality - the team and our fellow pedestrian scholars depend on the team to be on duty, on time.
• Dedication - demands are made on the free time of scholars and their ability to come out in any weather conditions, their enthusiasm and need for ongoing training. 
• Commitment to teamwork with character traits like dependability, attention to detail, honesty, seriousness etc

Also View:

• Scholar Patrol and Road Safety

ROAD SAFETY AND HEALTH :: LEARN ABOUT YOUR HEALTH

MALARIA

Click to download the Malaria Alert 2013 PDF

Definition and Description:

Motion Induced Blindness (MIB) is a phenomenon of visual disappearance or perceptual illusions. The illusion catches the brain ignoring or discarding information. An on-going debate regarding the causes of MIB is still present in today's vision research, however the purely attentional mechanism explanation has been rejected and new theories were put forward.

The brain seems to have internal theories about what the world is like. It then uses sensory input - which tends to be patchy and disorganized - to choose between these. In some sensory situations, different theories come into conflict, sending our perceptions awry.

In this section we would like to consider the potential threat of Motion Induced Blindness to drivers and what can be done to ensure that we avoid the risks.

Research on Motion Induced Blindness:

The illusion, which Bonneh's team calls motion-induced blindness, catches the brain ignoring or discarding information. This may be one of the brain's useful tricks, a deficiency - or perhaps both, says Bonneh.

Jack Pettigrew, a neuroscientist at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, believes that the illusion results from a tussle for supremacy between the left and right halves of the brain. He has found that applying a pulse of magnetism to the brain to temporarily disrupt its function affects the occurrence of motion-induced blindness. When the pulse is applied to the right hemisphere (leaving the left dominant) the dots disappear; zapping the left brings them back2.

The left hemisphere seems to suppress sensory information that conflicts with its idea of what the world should be like; the right sees the world how it really is. Some people with paralysis caused by injuries to their right hemisphere will deny that they are disabled.

"The right hemisphere is the cautious devil's advocate and the left hemisphere is the confident general with a plan of action," says Pettigrew.

Example:

The best way to explain Motion Induced Blindness is by way of an example. This phenomenon applies to walking, driving, sailing, flying, hunting, biking, skiing, and so many other activities of daily life.

It’s the affect whereby objects that are stationary, in relation to your eyes, simply vanish from your peripheral sight when near things that is moving, again in relation to your eyes.

In the example you see a grid of blue crosses that are spinning, three stationary yellow dots and a flashing green dot in the centre which is also stationary. Focus your attention on the flashing dot in the middle and you will soon become aware that the yellow dots start vanishing. Sometimes just one vanishes, or in pairs, or all three will vanish from your sight, but they also randomly re-appear without any rhyme or reason. The reality is though…they never actually vanish. They just look like they do.

Pilots and Motion Induced Blindness

The importance of Motion Induced Blindness has long been recognized in the aviation industry.

Instructors, some of whom were combat veterans with years of experience, instructed their pilots to continually “keep their eyes moving and head on a swivel” because this was the best way to survive, not only in combat, but from peacetime hazards (like a mid-air collision) as well.

Pilots were taught to alternate their gaze between scanning the horizon and scanning their instrument panel, and never to fix their gaze for more than a couple of seconds on any single object. The reason given is that, if you fix your gaze on one object long enough while you yourself are in motion, your peripheral vision goes blind. That’s why it is called motion induced blindness.

Till about three decades ago, this “heads on swivel & eyes moving” technique was the only way to spot other aircraft in the skies around. Now-a-days they have on-board radars, but the old technique still holds good.

Motion Induced Blindness on the Road

Researchers have speculated about whether Motion Induced Blindness occurs outside the laboratory, without being noticed as such. Situations such as driving, in which some night drivers should see stationary red tail lights of the preceding cars disappear temporally when they attend to the moving stream of lights from oncoming traffic may be case points.

The researchers speculate that this phenomenon could happen in everyday life without us noticing it. A highway at night, with drivers staring dully at a mass of moving lights, might recreate the kind of conditions used in the experiments, says Bonneh, causing objects - the tail lamp of the car in the next lane, for example - to temporarily vanish.

Many drivers have claimed not to have seen another vehicle coming from the side, in spite of broad daylight. Drivers often pull in front of vulnerable road users such as motorcycles or a bicycle and say I didn’t see him”. This phenomenon on the car drivers’ part can be part of “Motion Induced Blindness”.

If you are driving at a high speed on a highway and if you fix your gaze on the road straight ahead, you may not be able to see a car, a scooter, a buggy, a bicycle, a buffalo or even a human being approaching from the side. Now reverse the picture. If you are crossing a road on foot and you see a speeding car approaching. There’s a 90% chance that the driver isn’t seeing you, because his/her peripheral vision may be blind! And you may be in that blind zone!!

What do we need to know about Motion Induced Blindness and Safe Driving?

It is important to recognize that Motion Induced Blindness applies to everyone, not just pilots, as we all spend time driving and the same concepts apply here! We can also miss things (pedestrians, motorcycles, bicycles other cars) while driving too so we need to remain alert to these dangers.

These risks become a severe liability when flying, driving, or boating when there are moving objects in the field of view which are actually on a collision course with your vehicle, but appear to remain stationary in your field of view.

This is most commonly seen when you are on a highway and another vehicle is coming down an on-ramp at a speed that paces yours. It remains in the same place as viewed through the windshield or side windows.

Your brain will simply erase the other car's image from your view.... until you move your head. This can also occur in your mirrors when a vehicle is overtaking you at a very slow rate. If you simply constantly scan by moving your head or eyes, those important objects will remain visible.

Things to do:

• Remain alert and vigilant on the roads.
   
• Avoid driver fatigue and the additional pressure it places on your vision.
   
• Avoid driver distractions and remember that the road and road users need all your attention.
   
• Do not repeatedly fix your gaze for more than a couple of seconds on any single object. The most dangerous target is the one that has NO apparent motion. This is the one you will hit without evasive action and also the one you will NOT see.
   
• Keep your eyes moving and scan, scan, scan…!

Also view:

Road Safety and the Importance of Clear Vision

Avoiding Distractions while Driving

Avoiding Driver Fatigue

Recognition to Sources:

A brain in doubt leaves it out.. John Whitfield

Motorcycle Safety Foundation

Introduction:

On the Arrive Alive website we find information and advice for our bikers and motorcyclists on how to improve safety on the road. To achieve greater road safety we should not only educate and encourage – but also evaluate!

It is important to investigate and analyse the cause of crashes and to share this with the biking community in an effort to improve behaviour. We would like to share one such initiative that may benefit road safety amongst the biking community.

Motorcycle Accident Investigations [MASI]

With motorcycle accidents on the rise and loss of life ever increasing, a positive effort is needed. What will be interesting is to investigate the causes of these accidents, once the causes have been determined more can be done to minimise or eliminate serious injury and loss of life. Causes need to be addressed and action needs to be taken to truly make a difference.

We therefore announce the launch of MASI (Motorcycle Accident Scene Investigations) and ask you to work with us. For now it will be done by skilled volunteers out of good-will and love for people, we first have to prove the necessity of such a service before it can be funded. It will benefit all parties involved (victim, insurance companies, road safety and skills development for both drivers and riders) present and future, these should be obvious. Through this lives could be saved. Collected data will be used to improve road safety, skill and safety awareness.

Motorcycle accidents can be caused by various factors, from single to multiple vehicle; these factors are to be investigated. Factors such as speed, road surface and conditions, rider ability and skill, intoxication, fatigue, weather, visibility, motorcycle condition, other vehicles and road users, etc. are vital elements that need to be pointed out and reported on. Accidents result in injuries or loss of life, and our investigations will help prevent these by highlighting the cause factor. The wear of correct riding gear also plays a vital role in injury prevention; this too will be investigated and reported on.

Accidents are reported to SAPS and insurance companies but very little or nothing is done to find the truth behind the incident and how it could’ve been prevented. A simple police report is not good enough to really make a difference with obvious benefits as a result of proper Accident Scene Analysis. Our investigations will become a powerful tool for safety and skill development.

Hein Jonker, the Senior Instructor for Bike Talk MRA, will be heading this initiative and invite skilled motorcyclists and organizations to join him in an attempt to make a real difference. Contributing in any way is worth more than just saying "Well, just another accident. Condolences to the family. R.I.P."

Hein Jonker hereby calls on people for assistance to report accidents promptly and accurately for the MASI team to quickly get to the scene before it becomes too contaminated. This initiative will be registered with all major insurance companies and the local authorities.

The number to call or SMS is 083 7937975 or contact our call centre on 0861 BIKETALK (0861 24538255)

Email Hein Jonker direct on hein@biketalk.co.za

Motorbike Crashes and Research Findings

The 921 on-scene, in-depth accident investigations have provided a large volume of data related to the general characteristics of Motorcycle accidents; including accident causation and rider and passenger injury information. The outcome of these investigations can be considered in the identification, development and introduction of countermeasures.

In 37% of cases, the primary accident contributing factor was a human error on the part of the Motorcycle rider. In some situations, the human errors that occurred involved skills that were beyond those that typical drivers or operators might currently have. This is often due to the extreme circumstances of some of the accident cases, including an insufficient amount of time available to complete collision avoidance.

Among the secondary contributing factors, Motorcycle riders failed to see the other vehicle (Other Vehicle) and they also made a large number of faulty decisions, i.e., they chose a poor or incorrect collision avoidance strategy. In 13% of all cases, there was a decision failure on the part of the Motorcycle rider.

The number of cases involving alcohol use among the Motorcycle riders was less than 5%, which is low in comparison to other studies, but such riders were more likely to be involved in an accident.

FACT NOTE A

When the accident riders were compared to the exposure population, the data demonstrated that the use of alcohol increased the risk of being in an accident, although the percentage was lower than in other studies. Unlicensed Motorcycle operators, who were illegally riding Motorcycles that required a license, were also found to be at greater risk of being involved in an accident when compared to licensed Motorcycle riders.

Statistics

In comparison to the exposure data, unlicensed Motorcycle riders, illegally operating a Motorcycle for which a license is required, have a significantly increased risk of being involved in an accident.

Motorcycle riders between 41 and 55 years of age were found to be under-represented, suggesting that they may have a lower risk of being involved in an accident when compared to other rider age categories.

When compared with the exposure data, 18 to 25 year old riders were found to be over-represented. In 50% of cases, the primary accident contributing factor was a human error on the part of the Other Vehicle driver.

Other Vehicle drivers holding Motorcycle licenses were less likely to commit a perception failure than those without a Motorcycle license, i.e., they did not see the Motorcycle or its rider. In about 1/3 of accidents Motorcycle riders and Other Vehicle drivers failed to account for visual obstructions and engaged in faulty traffic strategies.

Traffic control violations were frequently reported, in 8% of the cases for Motorcycle riders and in 18% for Other Vehicle drivers. Amongst the wide diversity of Motorcycle accident and collision configurations that were observed in this study, not one configuration dominated.

90% of all risks to the Motorcycle rider, both vehicular and environmental, were in front of the Motorcycle rider prior to the accident. Among the primary contributing factors, over 70% of the Other Vehicle driver errors were due to the failure to perceive the Motorcycle.

The roadway and Other Vehicles were the most frequently reported collision partner. In 60.0% of accidents, the collision partner was a passenger car.

Tampering in order to increase performance was observed by visual inspection in 17.8% of all scooter cases. This value is lower than those reported in other studies. The exposure study only shows 12.3% of tampering.

Only modified conventional street motorcycles were found to be overrepresented in the accident data. There was no evidence of an increased risk associated with riding any other Motorcycle style. There were Motorcycle technical problems in less than 1% of the accidents.

Most of these were related to the tyres, illustrating the need for regular Motorcycle inspections by the owner. There were no cases found by the teams in which an accident was caused by Motorcycle design or manufacture.

In over 70% of the cases the Motorcycle impact speeds were below 50 km/h.

In 18% of all cases, Motorcycle travelling speeds were greater than or less than the surrounding traffic and this speed difference was considered to be a contributing factor.

73.1% of all Motorcycle riders attempted some form of collision avoidance immediately prior to impact. Of these, 32% experienced some type of loss of control during the manoeuvre.

90.4% of the Motorcycle riders wore helmets. However, 9.1% of these helmets came off the wearer’s head at some time during the accident, due to improper fastening or helmet damage during the accident. Overall, helmets were found to be an effective protective device to reduce the severity of head injuries.

55.7% of Motorcycle rider and passenger injuries were to the upper and lower extremities. The majority of these were minor injuries, e.g. abrasions, lacerations and contusions.

Appropriate clothing was found to reduce, but not completely eliminate, many of these minor injuries.

Roadside barriers presented an infrequent but substantial danger to Motorcycle riders, causing serious lower extremity and spinal injuries as well as serious head injuries.

For Motorcycle riders, a roadway maintenance defect caused the accident or was a contributing factor in 3.6% of all cases.

For Motorcycle riders, a traffic hazard caused the accident or was a contributing factor in 3.8% of all cases.

Weather-related problems either caused the accident or contributed to accident causation in 7.4% of Motorcycle accidents in the study.

FACT NOTE B

The Motorcycle accident data collected in this study indicated that the object most frequently struck in an accident was a passenger car. The second most frequently struck object was the roadway itself, either as the result of a single vehicle accident or of an attempt to avoid a collision with an Other Vehicle. Whilst each sampling area contained both urban and rural areas, the majority of the accidents took place in an urban environment.

Travelling and impact speeds for all Motorcycle categories were found to be quite low, most often below 50 km/h. There were relatively few cases in which excess speed was an issue related to accident causation.

The cause of the majority of Motorcycle accidents collected in this study was found to be human error. The most frequent human error was a failure to see the Motorcycle within the traffic environment, due to lack of driver attention, temporary view obstructions or the low visibility of the Motorcycle

Also view:

• Motorcycle Safety
• Motorcycle Safety 101
• Road Safety & Training Motorcyclists
• Accident Investigation
• Choose an Accident Investigator
• Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors 

Introduction

Digital mapping services have emerged as one of the most powerful growth areas in information technology.

"I honestly think we're seeing a more profound change, for mapmaking, than the switch from manuscript to print in the Renaissance," says the University of London cartographic historian Jerry Brotton. "That was huge. But this is bigger." The transition to print gave far more people access to maps. The transition to digital mapping accelerates and extends that development – but it is also transforming the roles that maps play in our lives.

The development of mobile computing (PDAs, tablet PCs, laptops, etc.) has spurred the use of digital mapping in the sciences and applied sciences. Science fields that use digital mapping technology include geology, engineering, architecture, land surveying, mining, forestry, environmental, and archaeology.

A research study in South Africa has found the main reason why some companies may not yet be using digital mapping is that they don't know what it has to offer. In this section we would like to analyse digital mapping and consider the impact that this is having on making roads safer!

What is Digital Mapping?

Digital mapping (also called digital cartography) is the process by which a collection of data is compiled and formatted into a virtual image. The primary function of this technology is to produce maps that give accurate representations of a particular area, detailing major road arteries and other points of interest. The technology also allows the calculation of distances from once place to another.

Though digital mapping can be found in a variety of computer applications, such as Google Earth, the main use of these maps is with the Global Positioning System, or GPS satellite network, used in standard automotive navigation systems.

The roots of digital mapping lie within traditional paper maps. As digital maps have grown with the expansion of GPS technology in the past decade, live traffic updates, points of interest and service locations have been added to enhance digital maps to be more “user conscious." Traditional “virtual views” are now only part of digital mapping. Users can now choose between virtual maps, satellite (aerial views), and hybrid (a combination of virtual map and aerial views) views. With the ability to update and expand digital mapping devices, newly constructed roads and places can be added to appear on maps.

Digital maps heavily rely upon a vast amount of data collected over time. Most of the information is the culmination of satellite imagery as well as street level information. Maps must be updated frequently to provide users with the most accurate reflection of a location. While there is a wide spectrum of companies that specialize in digital mapping, the basic premise is that digital maps will accurately portray roads as they actually appear to give "life-like experiences."

How does it work?

GPS is the foundation behind digital mapping navigation systems. The coordinates and position as well as atomic time obtained by a terrestrial GPS receiver from GPS satellites orbiting Earth interact together to provide the digital mapping programming with points of origin in addition to the destination points needed to calculate distance. This information is then analysed and compiled to create a map that provides the easiest and most efficient way to reach a destination.

More technically speaking, the device operates in the following manner:

• GPS receivers collect data from at least four GPS satellites orbiting the Earth, calculating position in three dimensions.
   
• The GPS receiver then utilizes position to provide GPS coordinates, or exact points of latitudinal and longitudinal direction from GPS satellites.
   
• The points, or coordinates, output an accurate range between approximately "10-20 meters" of the actual location.
   
• The beginning point, entered via GPS coordinates, and the ending point, (address or coordinates) input by the user, are then entered into the digital map.
   
• The map outputs a real-time visual representation of the route. The map then moves along the path of the driver.
   
• If the driver drifts from the designated route, the navigation system will use the current coordinates to recalculate a route to the destination location.

[Information with recognition to Wikipedia]

Applications of Digital Mapping in Fields related to Road Safety

Accurate public road, traffic and travel data are key elements required to guarantee the availability of intelligent digital maps - allowing the use of in-car navigation devices, routing for travel planners and all kinds of traffic management applications.

An increasing number of applications in the transportation industry rely on the availability of accurate digital maps describing the road network geometry, topology and traffic related map attributes such as traffic regulations.

The primary uses of mapping services in the transportation industry historically revolved around asset tracking services, such as fleet management, vehicle tracking and recovery and navigation.

Efforts to enhance road safety are often based around the 5 E’s of engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation. It is especially in engineering and evaluation where digital mapping plays a crucial role for safer roads.

We would like to refer briefly to how some of the applications of digital mapping have been discussed on the Arrive Alive website:

GPS and Road Safety

Nations across the world are benefiting from GPS Technology in achieving the goals of greater road safety. International departments of transportation are loading up their geospatial data layers and taking them on the road to map the locations of every pavement segment, traffic sign, and guardrail for which they are responsible.

Today there are more than one billion cars on our roads around the world. Millions of road users are using their GPS devices or applications on smartphones to find the best routes to their destinations. Traffic congestion is a big problem that virtually every government is grappling with. Traffic officials are facing challenges around affordability constraints, increasing emissions, increased road crashes and growing driver need.

Global navigation and digital mapping specialist TomTom has recognized that it has a role to play in helping to reduce congestion in countries all over the world. TomTom has however also recognized that it is but one organisation in a large ecosystem of governments, institutions, businesses and individuals.

In the efforts to create better solutions faster it will seek to cooperate with road users, governments and others in the transportation industry. In the Traffic Manifesto it is envisaged that in the future, when 10% of drivers use TomTom’s HD Traffic™ navigation system there will be what experts are calling a “collective effect”. Essentially, road networks will start to balance out and this will reduce traffic congestion for everyone.

Fleet Management

Fleet Management companies invest large amounts in research and development - enabling operators to have better control over their fleets while using modern technology. On-board computers provide fleet managers with detailed reports on behaviour of both driver and vehicle.

These reports are used to modify driver behaviour and can also be used in accident prevention, accident analysis and reconstruction. Digital mapping is one of the most important tools used by Fleet Managers to ensure efficiency of routing, logistics etc.

Tracking

Most modern vehicle tracking systems use Global Positioning System (GPS) modules for accurate location of the vehicle. Many systems also combine a communications component such as cellular or satellite transmitters to communicate the vehicle’s location to a remote user. Vehicle information can be viewed on electronic maps via the Internet or specialized software.

Vehicle tracking is important technology for the safety not only of fleets of vehicles –but also for the ordinary driver. This is to become even more important for road safety as the technology such as digital mapping becomes increasingly accessible and inexpensive.

Accident Investigation & Vehicle and Insurance Telematics

The accident investigator uses a wide variety of tools at the accident scene. The process of investigation is now also aided by the availability of highly accurate digital mapping and technology, specifically the on-board computers or “black boxes” which we refer to as Vehicle Telematics.

The benefits of advances in technology and vehicle telematics are no longer limited to the fleet management, logistics and heavy vehicle industry. This is also now used with increased efficiency in the passenger vehicle market where it has significant benefits for the car insurance industry.

The application of vehicle telematics technology in the car insurance industry is able to address both financial and safety concerns. By rewarding drivers for safe driving behaviour with reduced car insurance premiums, the technology is able to promote safer driving, reduce accidents and increase road safety!

Advantages of Digital Mapping for Business

“Digital mapping is proving to be the hidden secret weapon of South African business,” says mapIT chief executive officer Etienne Louw. “Recent research in South Africa underlines the extent to which large and small businesses alike depend on digital maps not only for navigation and tracking, but also for efficiency, productivity and security.”

Web mapping is now offered to businesses/ organizations enabling them to customize their own web map to be used in corporate web pages and various applications. Requirements for mobile application development vary greatly, from rapid mobile application development technology for operational business use to mapping for location or promotional use.

According to a survey by World Wide Worx, conducted with the backing of digital mapping provider mapIT, 76% of South African corporations and 38% of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) spend more than 2% of their information technology (IT) budgets on mapping services.

 “The biggest surprise in the findings was the extent to which budgets are growing,” says World Wide Worx managing director Arthur Goldstuck. “Two-thirds of large corporations and SMEs alike – 69% and 66% respectively – intend to increase their spending on digital mapping services in 2013.”

Data on the use of Digital Mapping by Businesses in South Africa

• Most common reasons for using digital mapping services:

For SMEs, it enhances: security (59%), efficiency (39%), productivity (38%).

For corporates, it enhances: security (63%), efficiency (59%), productivity (58%).

• Importance of digital mapping services

SMEs: Exactly 50% say the services are important to their business, with only 24% saying it’s not important.

Corporates: 66% said the services are important to their business.

• Satisfaction with digital mapping services

SMEs: A high 72% are satisfied with the quality of the service. Only 8% were not satisfied.

Corporates: A high 76% were satisfied with the quality of service. Only 9% were not satisfied

International Focus on Road Safety

The European Commission in 2011 conducted a study on the practice of road data collection for digital maps in the Member States across the EU. The objectives included promoting procedures of data exchange between Member States road authorities and digital map providers, taking into account the existing or planned National and European Spatial Data Infrastructures.

The European Commission, industry and other stakeholders aim to accelerate the development, deployment and use of Intelligent Integrated Safety Systems that use information and communication technologies in intelligent solutions. The goal is to increase road safety and reduce the number of accidents on Europe's roads.

Public Private Partnerships in Digital Mapping

European countries and private business have recognized the importance of private public partnerships for effective digital mapping in ensuring safer roads:

• There is a need to define requirements for a European digital road map database, with agreed road safety attributes.
   
• The creation of a public-private partnership will produce, maintain, certify and distribute this database. 
   
• Private map makers have relied upon Private sector information for map creation but also added value for the public sector.
   
• Public Authorities play a role in maintenance of digital maps in many countries today.
   
• There is a clear need for Public private partnerships especially in domains were authorities ‘manage’ the information (e.g. speed limits).

The main challenge in digital mapping internationally is to ensure safe and easy access to digital road databases owned and maintained by thousands of road authorities in a standardised, non-discriminatory and transparent way.

We find increased cooperation between road authorities, mapmakers and business to ensure the availability of accurate public data for digital maps and their timely updating. This is done through cooperation and participation by relevant public bodies and digital map providers.

The Way Forward

We find new data added to our maps daily. This is done not only by the mapmakers but through public participation. We now find ourselves in a seamless interactive environment. In a world of GPS-enabled smartphones, users are not merely consulting Google or Apple data stores when they consult a map: they are adding to them.

Google and Apple insist that they're not interested in anyone's individual data: the commercial value lies in the patterns they can detect in the aggregate. As maps based on mined data come to shape our sense of space, to navigate our journeys, and to narrow our online searches – digital maps and search engines might not just observe our lives, but in some sense come to play a role in directing their course.

Any square mile of the planet can today be described in an infinite number of ways: in terms of its natural features, its weather, its socio-economic profile, or what you can buy in the shops there. "Every map," the cartography curator Lucy Fellowes once said, "is someone's way of getting you to look at the world his or her way."

Conclusion

Digital mapping is an important tool in the battle to ensure safer roads for all. As technology develops further and becomes even more advanced and accessible we can expect transport specialists, traffic authorities and mapmakers to find new applications where digital mapping will be an essential element in reducing road deaths and injuries.

Also view:

GPS Technology and Road Safety

Vehicle Tracking and Road Safety

Fleet management, Logistics and Road Safety

Vehicle and Insurance Telematics

Vehicle Telematics, Accident Investigation and Fleet Management

Also View:

• How To Become a Traffic Trainee

Who remembers the scholar patrol? Well Imperial is bringing it back in a big way with their Imperial I-Pledge scholar patrol project. It’s all in aid of keeping children safe.

On the Arrive Alive website we have discussed scholar patrol in detail on the page titled “Scholar Patrol and Road Safety”

Why is scholar patrol so important?

• Each year, children travel to and from school almost 200 times.
   
• Dangerous traffic congestion occurs around schools with so many parents dropping their children off in the morning and picking them up after school.
   
• Traffic Authorities, school teachers and principals recognize that this congestion creates the most dangerous location on a child’s journey to and from school.
   
• Scholar Patrol performs a very important and responsible public service by controlling traffic and by safeguarding scholar pedestrians Student patrollers guide fellow students and prevent them from entering traffic when it is unsafe.

They were also to set a good example and encourage all students to observe the rules of safety. They had to report for duty on time with the proper equipment and attire on. They had to report all infractions of the rules to their superiors. They had to provide assistance to other Patrol members when necessary. Know and enforce all safety walking and crossing rules. Lastly, they had to attend regular meetings that would discuss problem areas of traffic and street crossings.

Imperial I-Pledge Campaign Scholar Patrol Initiative

IMPERIAL has started an intervention to reinstate scholar patrols and train our learners and teachers about basic road safety, in primary schools across the country.

Since October 2012, the IMPERIAL I-Pledge Scholar Patrol Project, sanctioned by the Department of Basic Education, has committed to visiting 20 schools for every month of the year - that’s a commitment of 240 schools per year!

Nominate your school for Scholar Patrol!

Starting in Gauteng, so far 100 schools have been visited, and counting. You can make a difference by nominating a school of your choice to receive scholar patrol training, road safety education, new kits and to get your zebra crossing painted.

Make a difference today! Head over to Highveld.co.za to nominate a school. Listen to the Sound Clip

Visit http://www.ipledge.co.za/Schools.aspx to find out more about this fantastic initiative.

Also view:

Scholar Patrol and Road Safety

I-Pledge Scholar Patrol Roll Out Report

Introduction

Safety on the road is a major concern not only for traffic officials but indeed for all road users. There are many different road safety campaigns aimed at reducing road deaths and injuries on the roads of South Africa. The most well-known of these are the Arrive Alive Road Safety Campaign and the Make Roads Safe Campaign.

Several NGO’s have also focused on road safety through several of their own campaigns. These include South Africans Against Drunk Driving, Drive More Safely etc. Businesses in South Africa have thrown their weight behind special initiatives such as the Pick and Pay Stay Alert Stay Alive Campaign, Imperial with the I-Pledge Initiatives etc.

The alcohol companies have for a number of years been running road safety and anti-drunk driving initiatives. SAB launched a No Regret Friday Initiative in 2011 while brandhouse has managed the Drive Dry Campaign for a number of years.

RTMC and Get There No Regrets

The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) launched its 2012 festive road safety campaign on the 20^th of December in Pretoria.

"Get there. No Regrets" is a new campaign from the RTMC against carnage on the country's roads.  The campaign focuses especially on drunk driving and head on collisions mainly caused by reckless overtaking.

A few important road safety facts emphasized at the launch:

• It is reported that 40% of people who die on the country's roads are pedestrians.
   
• About 60% of both pedestrians and drivers are under the influence of alcohol.
   
• 33 percent of people who die on roads are passengers.
   
• Just 2% of passengers buckle up.

Objectives with Get There No Regrets

The RTMC says their new campaign aims to bring positive change to these figures.

CEO of Road Traffic Management Corporation, Collins Letsoalo said: “This launch will save many lives. It is a direct message to the motorist and anyone who thinks of safe journey must think of what will happen if they don’t adhere to the rules of the road. We are saying work with us to reduce carnage on our roads.”

The new campaign sought to encourage motorists to be responsible and finish their journey without any regrets. The new campaign is hard-hitting and would most likely hit closer to home. During the launch, an advert that was to begin airing on television and radio was played. The ad deals with the aftermath of reckless driving and the consequences that accompany accidents.

“Anybody who is wishing for a safer journey must think about the consequences and what happens when you don’t adhere to the rules of the road,” said Letsoalo. He said at least 40 people a day died on the roads and the only way to get the message across to people was to show them the harsh realities of what was happening.

“We are overhauling the road safety campaign.”

Letsoalo said if all motorist buckle up, 2013 can see a 30% reduction in road accidents and 50% by 2015. Authorities have called for motorists and passengers cooperation to achieve this goal.

Get There No Regrets and Education

The safety massage will be broadcast on various television, radio and print media advertisements to create awareness. The RTMC also reintroduced the road safety mascot, Danny cat, teaching children about road safety and traffic rules.

“We want to be in your face and bring it close to people. We are going back to schools and the streets. Now we are going back to doing things such as stopping and inspecting cars instead of only using cameras,” said Letsoalo.

He said the road safety message would be taken to schools and children taught awareness from a young age.

Letsoalo said the RTMC had a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Education to make road safety part of the school syllabus.

He said this was not strictly a festive season campaign but an all-year-round attempt to change driver behaviour on the roads.

To find out more also view:

Website: www.getherenoregrets.co.za

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GetThereNoRegrets

Twitter: https://twitter.com/gettherenorgret

Introduction

Also View:

• Scholar Patrol and Road Safety

• I-Pledge Scholar Patrol Roll Out Report

• Imperial I-Pledge and Scholar Patrol Initiative

What is a Traffic Sign or Road Sign?

Introduction

Windscreen damage remains a hazard and reality experienced by all South African motorists. Although windshield damage can result from a variety of causes, the most common is flying rocks and debris cast off from the loads of commercial trucks as well as debris projected from road surfaces under construction.

We have all experienced the small annoying chip on our windscreens. This might not trouble motorists much and can be easily fixed! It is however when the chip becomes a crack running across the windscreen that we need to consider whether it is indeed time to replace the windscreen.

In this section we would like to consider what the National Road Traffic Act stipulates about windscreen safety and why we need to look beyond the legal requirements and also focus on what is required for safety on the road!

The National Road Traffic Act and Windscreen Safety

Glass of windscreen, window and partitions

Reg 202. (1) No person shall operate on a public road any motor vehicle having a windscreen, window or partition made of transparent material—

(a) unless such material affords the driver sufficient visibility for safe driving of such vehicle;

(b) unless in the case of a windscreen, other than a windscreen fitted to a motor cycle or motor tricycle, such transparent material—

(i) is glass; and

(ii) in respect of a motor vehicle which, according to the registration certificate thereof was registered for the first time after the year 1958, complies with the provisions of paragraph (a) even when shattered; and

(c) unless, in respect of a motor vehicle which, according to the registration certificate thereof, was registered for the first time after the year 1958, such transparent material is safety glass and every pane thereof is permanently marked with the name or trade mark of the manufacturer thereof or the trade name of the glass and is clearly identifiable as safety glass by a permanent mark indicating it as such.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (b) and (c) of subregulation (1), the transparent material—

(a) with which—

(i) a window in the roof of a motor vehicle;

(ii) a window or partition of a bus or a minibus; or

(iii) a window or partition of a semi-trailer designed or adapted for the conveyance of passengers, is made, may consist of ultrahigh impact acrylic or polycarbonate plastic material where each pane thereof is permanently marked with the name or trademark of the manufacturer thereof or the trade name of the material and such material is clearly identifiable as ultrahigh impact acrylic or polycarbonate plastic material by a permanent mark describing it as such;

(b) with which a window or partition or a removable or collapsible hood or canopy of a motor vehicle is made, may consist of a flexible plastic material; and

(c) with which a window or partition of a trailer, not designed or adapted for the conveyance of passengers, is made, may in the case where such trailer, according to the registration certificate thereof—

(i) was registered for the first time before 1 January 1987, consist of acrylic or polycarbonate plastic material or of glass; or

(ii) was registered for the first time on or after 1 January 1987, consist of acrylic or polycarbonate plastic material.

(3) No person shall operate on a public road any motor vehicle—

(a) unless the visible light transmittance through—

(i) the windscreen is at least 70 percent; and

(ii) any other window is at least 35 percent,

when measured in accordance with paragraph 6.3 of the standard specification SABS 1191 “Safety glass for windows”;

(b) unless any film or tinting material applied to any windscreen, window or partition is free from bubbles, tears or scratches; and

(c) if, from 1 January 2000, any material or film, with a textured surface, displaying a picture or graphics is applied to the rear window that covers more than one-eight of such rear window, or windscreen or a side window.

(4) The provisions of subregulation (3) (a) (ii) shall not apply to an ambulance or a hearse or to windows complying with SABS ECE R43.

Driving view to be unobstructed

Reg 204. (1) No person shall operate on a public road a motor vehicle—

(a) which is not so constructed and maintained as to afford the driver thereof a

full and clear view of the roadway ahead and to his or her right and left when the vehicle is in use;

(b) which is not fitted with a rear-view mirror or mirrors enabling the driver of such vehicle, when he or she is in the driving position, to see in clear weather a clear reflection of traffic to the rear: Provided that the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply in respect of a tractor;

(c) which is a motor car, minibus, bus or goods vehicle, the gross vehicle mass of which does not exceed 3 500 kilograms and which, according to the registration certificate thereof, was registered for the first time on or after 1 January 1987, unless it is fitted with an exterior rear-view mirror on the driving side and an interior rear-view mirror: Provided that where the interior rear-view mirror does not enable the driver, when he or she is in the driving position, to see in clear weather, a clear reflection of traffic to the rear, an additional exterior rear-view mirror shall be fitted on the side opposite to the driving seat and in such a case it shall not be necessary to fit an interior rear-view mirror;

(d) which is a mini-bus, bus or goods vehicle, the gross vehicle mass of which exceeds 3 500 kilograms and which, according to the registration certificate thereof, was registered for the first time on or after 1 January 1987, unless it is fitted with an exterior rear-view mirror on the driving side and an exterior rear-view mirror on the side opposite to the driving seat; or

(e) which is a motor cycle, a motor tricycle or motor quadrucycle unless it is fitted with a rear-view mirror on the right side of the handlebars thereof, and such cycle shall also be fitted with a rear-view mirror on the left side of its handlebars.

(2) Every rear-view mirror of a motor vehicle—

(a) which—

(i) is a motor car, minibus, bus or goods vehicle, the gross vehicle mass of which does not exceed 3 500 kilograms and which, according to the registration certificate thereof, was registered for the first time on or after 1 January 1976; or

(ii) is a minibus, bus or a goods vehicle, the gross vehicle mass of which exceeds 3 500 kilograms and which, according to the registration certificate thereof, was registered for the first time during the period 1 January 1976 to 31 December 1986,

shall be either flat or spherically convex and have an average radius of curvature of not less than one comma two metres; or

(b) contemplated in subregulation (1)(d) shall be either flat or spherically convex and have an average radius or curvature of not less than one comma eight metres.

What is Legal is not necessarily what is Safe!

It is important to recognize that the National Road Traffic Act only stipulates what is required in terms of the quality of windscreen used and the need to ensure visibility for the driver. It does not make it illegal to drive where the crack is not in the view of the driver and does not obstruct his vision. Even though driving with a cracked windscreen might not be a ticketable offence it should not be construed that doing so is safe as well!

We have discussed windscreen safety in detail on the website in detail in a section titled Road Safety and Your Windscreen

We would like to refer to the importance of windscreen safety and why a cracked windscreen might be a significant danger to your safety inside the vehicle:

• The Windscreen and Structural Integrity of the Vehicle

The Windshield/ Windscreen is an integral role in a car’s support structure.  While during the course of normal driving an imbalance or imperfection in this structure might not be apparent, it can become deadly during a crash or collision.

In most vehicles the windshield is designed to transfer the impact of a front-end collision down through the front of the car into the chassis, helping to minimize the impact’s effect within the interior, protecting passengers.  A cracked windshield can shatter under the pressure of a collision, allowing the impact of the collision to move horizontally through the car, significantly increasing the danger to passengers.

• The Windscreen and Protection during Rollovers

The windscreen also provides vertical support, preventing the car’s roof from crushing.  During a rollover accident, a cracked or chipped windshield can allow the roof to cave in, causing potentially serious injury.  Statistics overwhelmingly indicate the danger and increased risk to passengers in a rollover accident during which the roof crushes.

• The Windscreen helps Passengers to Remain inside the Vehicle during a Collision

While seatbelts are the primary means for protecting passengers from ejection during a collision, the windshield also plays an important role.  For unbelted passengers, or in situations where the seatbelt is faulty, broken, or severed in the course of the accident, the windshield can provide a final measure of protection ensuring that the passengers remain within the interior of the car.  Even a minor chip in the windshield can cause the window to shatter on impact, allowing passengers to be ejected from the vehicle.

• The Windscreen as Support to Airbag Deployment

In addition to distributing the impact of a crash, the windshield provides support to the airbags, particularly those on the passenger side.  When the airbag deploys during an accident, it expands outward and compresses against the windshield before pillowing out to support the passenger.

A faulty windshield cannot properly absorb the force of the inflating airbag, and can shatter, diminishing or negating the effectiveness of the airbag.

Conclusion

The windscreen needs to be recognized as an important component in vehicle safety. Given the dangers which can result from a damaged windshield, it is important that cracked or chipped windshields be repaired by a qualified technician as soon as possible. 

Also View:

• Road Safety and Your Windscreen
• Road Safety and Avoiding Windscreen Damage

Also View:

• Traffic Signs of South Africa
• Funny and Interesting Road Signs
   

• National statistics show that 84% of children in South Africa, travel in cars without wearing their seatbelts.
• Passenger deaths in children are the 4th leading cause of unnatural deaths in our country (Medical Research Council) Not to mention all the injured children that suffer injury or disabilities on a daily basis.
• At the Red Cross Children’s Hospital alone, approximately 20 children per month are treated for injuries sustained in motor vehicle collisions. Eighty percent (80%) of these injured children were not buckled up or restrained in any way at all. Most of these injuries could have been prevented through appropriate restraining.
• Car safety seats (child restraints) reduce the risk of death in passenger cars by 71 % for infants, and 54 % for toddlers.
• Even in a minor crash, an unrestrained child would be thrown around inside the vehicle, injuring themselves and others. They could be thrown from the car through one of the windows

• Legislation stipulates that everyone in a motor vehicle should wear a seatbelt.
• It is the driver’s responsibility and legal obligation to ensure that children are buckled up in a car safety seat (child restraint) or seatbelt where available.
• An adult is guilty of a criminal offence if he/she should allow a child younger than 14 years to travel unrestrained in a motor vehicle equipped with seat belts or car safety seats.

• Never put your seat belt around yourself and your baby or child. If there is a crash, your baby or child could be crushed to death. The force against your child will be the equivalent to 30 adults, each weighing 50 kg, standing on top of the child. The force is tremendous.
• Never buckle two children up in one seatbelt, this is dangerous and could lead to serious injury. A seat belt has only been tested with one occupant.
• Traveling unrestrained at the back of a station wagon or “bakkie” is very dangerous.
• Never use a car safety seat/child restraint on the front seat if there is an air bag.
• Always place any loose items in the car boot.

• The safest way for children to travel in cars is in an approved car safety seat or seat belt that is suitable for their weight and size and also for your car.
• A properly fitted child restraint keeps the child in their seat, preventing them from being thrown about inside or ejected from the vehicle. This reduces the likelihood of your child being killed or injured in a crash.
• Using a car safety seat correctly makes a big difference.
• All children under twelve years and younger should preferable travel in the back seat, buckled up!
• Putting your child in a seatbelt, instead of in a car safety seat or booster cushion, before he/she is big enough, will put his/her life at risk of serious injury or death in a crash.

Travel Safety - Child Car Restraint/Safety Seat Guide For Children

 

The following categories of car child restraints are currently available:

 

 

Infant Car Restraint (Birth – 9-months/1 year/0-10kg)

• Never use seat where there is an airbag. This can cause serious injury
• Seat must be used facing rearwards at all times. In a collision impact will be on seat and not on baby.
• Install with three point adult seat belt.
• The baby is securely held in the seat by the harness.
• It is safer to fit the seat in the rear of the car.
   

Child Car Restraint (Birth – 4/5 years/0-18kg)

• There are a variety of seats available in this category
• These seats should face the rear of the car until the infant is±10kg or 9 months old.
• After this the seat can be turned around, facing forward.
• The method of installation may vary from seat to seat. Some could be used with three point adult safety belts, lap belts or special anchorage straps.
• Always follow manufacturers instruction on how to fit the seat
   

Booster Seats, (±4 - 6 years/15-25 kg)

• These safety seats are light and versatile and can only be secured with a three point adult safety belt.
• Could be used on front or back seat with adult safety belt but preferably on the back seat.
   

Booster Cushion (±6-11 years/22-36kg)

• These cushions are used when children have outgrown the above-mentioned seats.
• This seat will help position seat belt and improve view from the car.
• Should always be used with three point adult belt.
• Should be used until child has grown sufficiently to wear a seat belt usually at ±10 years (36 Kg).
   

Seatbelts (±10/11 years – 36 Kg’s)

• Children are usually big enough to use a seat belt by the age of about 10/11 years.
• To check that the seat belt fits correctly, the shoulder belt should go over the child’s shoulder and across the middle of his/her chest. The belt should not touch the neck.
• The lap belt should fit low, over the hipbones, under the child’s belly area.
• The child knees should be comfortable over the edge of the seat.
• Three point seat belts (Lap and diagonal) provide greater protection than lap belts.
• Lap belts are better than no belt at all.

 

Always buckle up your children, even for a short trip.

 

Also view:

• Child Restraints and Road Safety
• Seatbelt Safety
• Pregnancy and Seatbelts
• Seatbelt Presentation
• Seatbelt Study  
• Seatbelt Protection
• Restraint use and seating position among children in motor vehicles in Bloemfontein
• Buckle Up Road Safety Campaign focuses on Seatbelt Safety

13 March 2013

It is with much gratitude and appreciation that we reflect on the past 10 years since the launch of the Arrive Alive road safety website on the 13th of March 2013.

It is important that we reflect and briefly analyse on efforts to create awareness of road safety online. We would like to do so by sharing developments during the past decade and also to focus on those facts which the public might not be aware of.

How did it all start?

On the 22nd of August 2002 I came across the Arrive Alive.com domain which at that stage was developed by a Mr Church whose son died in a car accident in the U.S. Having lost a parent in a car crash at the age of 2 years I believed I am capable of making a contribution through the development of the Road Safety website.

As there was no Arrive Alive website at that stage in South Africa I registered the domain and started doing research on possible content. Having read law and lectured in Criminal Law I believed that this would not differ much from a study guide and could serve as an information portal for those in need of road safety information.

Interesting Facts about the Development of ArriveAlive.co.za

• The official Arrive Alive Logo did not appear on the website initially – we did not want to be seen as “Passing off” as the Arrive Alive Campaign and it was only after the Department of Transport requested that we use the official logo that this was included on the website.
   
• A letter was prepared and shared with the Director General of Transport to explain what the objectives were with the website and how we plan to achieve our goals of raising road safety awareness.
   
• The Department of Transport provided us with a Letter of Endorsement
   
• Not a cent of tax payer money is used to develop the website and other road safety portals and development is undertaken through a VAT Registered and tax paying entity!
   
• Development is done through the Close Corporation Restegrity Consulting and funding is generated through our road safety partners from the private sector.
   
• The ArriveAlive.co.za website is today supported by 3 road safety Blogs, 3 Insurance related Blogs and is a partner to the development of the MiningSafety.co.za portal.

Highlights during the Past Decade

There are many highlights and the following deserves mention:

• Road Safety Achievement Award 2007 by Guild of Motoring Journalists
   
• Mention in the New York Times ahead of the World Cup 2010
   
• Having the Arrive Alive website linked to official websites for international events such as SA2010.gov.za and the COP17 Conference
   
• Sharing information on road safety via Television, Radio, Printed Media and Online Media
   
• Ability to interact with thousands of concerned road users via email and to provide them with or direct them to possible assistance.
   
• Making friends with others who have shown a commitment towards road safety.
   
• Measuring the efforts and the favourable search results achieved on the major search engines.
   
• The Arrive Alive website attracted 480,000 visits during 2012.

Where and how does Development take place?

• Since the launch of the website there has always been one editor and a part time programmer and graphic designer.
   
• The website has been developed from the offices of Chillies Internet in Bloemfontein where I have managed to contract the part time services of a programmer and graphic designer.
   
• For the first 5 years development was performed part time and only since 2008 full time!

What were the initial objectives with the development of the website?

In 2003 we described the vision as follows:

VISION OF  www.arrivealive.co.za

The construction of the Arrive Alive website has been inspired by the efforts worldwide to promote road safety and the need for public awareness. The power of the internet as an educational tool cannot be disputed and the creation of a high quality information portal will complement the sterling work that has been done by the Ministry of Transport to date.

It is not the intention of the developers to divert any attention away from the Arrive Alive campaign or to pass-off as the official Arrive Alive website, but rather to enhance and provide more information on these and other international efforts to improve road safety.

It is the vision of the developers to construct an information portal to assist the following target groups:

• The Department of Transport
   
• Officials at the Arrive Alive Campaign
   
• Road users
   
• Tourists
   
• Students and scholars doing research projects on road safety.
   
• Private business in a variety of industries including motoring, trauma and healthcare, legal and insurance companies
   
• Victims of road accidents and their families

The above vision will be accomplished through a process of information collection from many institutional and private contributors, and the assignment of the relevant information to specific accessible and educational units.

The developers accept that no one entity has all the knowledge and that knowledge can only be shared through the unselfish contributions from people with expertise in a wide variety of fields. The developers are dedicated to find the content required for the promotion of road safety and welcomes any recommendations and advice. Many other website developers have been and will be consulted and their efforts recognized.”

We remain committed to these objectives!

What have been the major challenges?

•   Time / Manpower and Funding

As a non- Government funded initiative the development depends on the ability to fund all the costs involved. The past 10 years have seen personal funding, corporate funding and lots of commitment and dedication making this possible.

When the economy takes a dip it is easy to understand that social responsibility might not be the highest on the agenda and corporates has to focus rather on aspects such as job security. We are grateful for all those partners who have at different stages and for different periods of time been partners in the development.

In 2004/2005 a monthly contribution of R15,000 per month from October 2004-March 2005 was budgeted for by the Department of Transport but NO such funding was received.

The fast developing world of the internet and social media through Blogs, Facebook, twitter and other mediums have provided significant opportunities but also additional strain on what is required to maintain a professional information portal on road

To raise road safety awareness online we could not shy away from these mediums. Facebook was launched in 2004 and Twitter in 2006 and today the Arrive Alive website has an online presence via these mediums:

•   Changing and Challenging environment

Not only has the online environment changed during the past decade but also the local and international road safety environment. It remains a challenge to build relationships and share strategies in an environment where there are constant changes amongst the decision makers.

During the past decade there has been 4 Ministers of Transport, numerous Director Generals and spokespersons on road safety. The Road Traffic Management Corporation was incorporated in terms of Section 3 of the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) Act, No. 20 of 1999, but only commenced with the preparation of a Business Plan and Strategy for its operationalization in April 2005. The RTMC has also seen several CEO’s and Acting CEO’s

Internationally the United Nations has in the past few years provided excellent guidance on road safety through the Make Roads Safe Campaign and the Decade of Action for Road Safety. Locally there has been a number of new NGO’s and Road Safety Organizations each specializing in specific fields to road safety.

We remain committed to close cooperation with the Department of Transport, the RTMC and other road safety organizations and initiatives.

What have been the major lessons learnt?

Nobody can be involved in a project so personal without also gaining a few important lessons for the future.  I would like to refer to some of these lessons by using 2 quotes:

“There is no limit to your success if you don’t mind who receives the credit?”

“Look after the facts and the law/ justice will look after itself!”

It has always been important to recognize from the start our own strengths and weaknesses. Not one person is an expert on all fields and we need to identify where and how to gain the expertise required – and then to recognize that expertise. Road safety should never be about personal egos but rather close cooperation and recognition to others who can make a meaningful contribution!

It is also important to understand that not everyone will share your vision or the manner in which you strive to achieve your objectives. You may be criticized for not doing something in the same way another might do it - but as long as you can accept criticism, consider and debate any differences we are ok. There may also be unexplained antagonism brought about by personal egos – as long as you can defend your actions by ensuring that you have the correct facts to your disposal you will not be side-tracked by the resulting negativity.

Evaluation

Through the development of the Arrive Alive website we strive to meet only one or two of the E’s required for road safety. These E’s are Engineering, Education, Encouragement, Enforcement and Evaluation. To reduce deaths and injuries on our roads a committed effort is required to all of these aspects. We cannot perform the engineering, the enforcement or the evaluation – but we can measure whether we are making a contribution towards Education and Encouragement!

The best about developing a road safety information portal is that it is easily measured and tracked online! We can do a Google search to find whether information is easily available to the public and we can use the tools of analytics to measure visitor numbers. Nobody should be able to say that he/she did not know!

Volume of Work and Dedication:

A snapshot could provide some insights to the volume of work on the Arrive Alive website and Blogs:

Website:

www.arrivealive.co.za

Pages of Content:  466 Pages

Media releases, Crash/ Accident Reports

• From Arrive Alive 3767 Reports
   
• Road Safety in the Media  3250 Reports
   
• Road Safety Highlights 1660 Reports
   
• From the Department of Transport 1244 Reports

Road Safety Blogs

• Roadsafety.co.za: 2558 Blog Posts
   
• Roadsafety.wordpress.com: 1809 Blog Posts
   
• Accidents.co.za: 1513 Blog Posts

Facebook

• Followers: 3180

Insurance Blogs

• Carinsurance.arrivealive.co.za: 859 Blog Posts
   
• Insurancechat.co.za:633 Blog Posts
   
• GeselsVersekering: 231 Blog Posts

Twitter

• Followers: 11 493
   
• Tweets: 17 162

For a more comprehensive overview of on activities and exposure in the printed and other media visit the Arrive Alive website for the Yearly Reports. 

Appreciation and Recognition

A decade of raising awareness online would not have been possible without the assistance of dedicated people, family, friends and road safety partners.

A special mention of recognition and appreciation to the following for assistance received:

•   National Department of Transport and the RTMC

• All our road safety partners for funding, content and words of encouragement!
   
• Other road safety organizations, NGO’s and road safety initiatives.
   
• Chillies internet and personnel during the past decade - especially for the past few years to our programmer Charl Wilson   and graphic designer Pierre Steenkamp.
   
• Journalists, reporters and all those in the television, radio, printed and online media who have shared information from  Arrive Alive.co.za with a wider audience.
   
• Internext for hosting and Havenga Rossouw and Viljoen Auditors for financial controls.  A special mention to our very first  road safety partner DigiCore who, through the CEO Mr Nick Vlok expressed his support in 2003, and who has been a partner  to the development for 117 months!

Conclusion

It has been a privilege to be so closely involved for the past decade in road safety – something I am very passionate of!

To express something more personal I would like to quote from the movie “The Emperor’s Club”- ”No matter how much you might have conquered – If you have not left behind a contribution – it is all meaningless…”

The development of the Arrive Alive website and other road safety portals have enabled us to make a contribution – and if the loss of a life or injury has been prevented through the awareness created this has all been worthwhile!

We look forward to the continued creation of road safety awareness online!

Also View:

• PDF: Arrive Alive.co.za reflects on a Decade of Road Safety Awareness Online

Introduction

The 100’S RIDERS is a fraternity of like-minded motorcycling enthusiasts based in KwaZulu-Natal and committed to the practice, promotion and advancement of responsible motorcycling and preventative road-safety, riding under the banner of ‘Look Twice and Save a life’.

 

The 100’S RIDERS was formed in 2009 by a group of friends based in Pietermaritzburg who were all keen on motorcycling but not comfortable with travelling at excessive speed, the idea being to ride at a safer, slower pace whilst enjoying each other’s company and the comraderie found between motorcycling enthusiasts.

 

Nevertheless, the name ‘100’S RIDERS’ does not mean the group travels at 100 kph or that you and your bike’s ages should add up to 100 years!, but it is based on the phase ‘HUNDREDS” as in ‘LIFE’S GREAT!’

 

 

Road Safety - “Look Twice and Save a Life”

 

The 100’s Riders are committed to raising road safety awareness and practice amongst all road users.  

 

Road safety is a major concern for all road-users and in a bid to assist traffic authorities and civil society in this monumental task and to save lives, the 100’s Riders launched its “LOOK TWICE AND SAVE A LIFE” safety campaign.  

 

In conjunction with Department of Transport and N3TC, a road safety awareness day was held at Mooi River Toll Plaza where pamphlets on road safety were handed out by 100’s Riders and motorists were asked their perception of  motorcycling in relation to road safety.  

 

From information gathered we found that the main concerns of truck, car and taxi drivers in relation to their motorcycling brethren were:  excessive speed; incorrect following distances, and blind spots; and that to foster the safety of bikers would require the involvement and awareness of all road users – bikers and motorists alike.

 

Poor visibility of bikers has always been an issue and to remedy this the 100’s Riders promotes the wearing of high-viz vests which has proved to be most beneficial.

 

 

Lead by Example

 

At appropriate opportunities and events our “LOOK TWICE AND SAVE A LIFE” safety campaign is promoted with 100’s Riders giving of their time.  

 

Within Pietermaritzburg and beyond, the effects of the “LOOK TWICE AND SAVE A LIFE” safety campaign are evident, with a substantial number of motor vehicles and motorcycles bearing the “LOOK TWICE AND SAVE A LIFE” bumper sticker and an increasing number of motorcyclists utilising high-viz vests.

 

 

Road Safety awareness campaigns have been held at schools within the Pietermaritzburg region with 100’s Riders giving of their time

 

Organised rides of the 100’s Riders are carefully planned with pre-ride meetings. Riders are split into pods of 7 with a leader and sweeper (generally more experienced riders) dedicated to each pod.  

 

Each pod is separated to facilitate the movement of other road users. 

 

Extensive use is made of hand and feet signals within each pod to give instructions to the pod such as indicating riding patterns, road conditions and where caution should be exercised.

 

Each ride is conducted in an orderly formation within the prescribed speed limit and the consumption of alcohol is not permitted.  The use of high-viz vests is compulsory.

 

 

Social Responsibility

 

Apart from the “LOOK TWICE AND SAVE A LIFE” safety campaign, the 100’s Riders believe and practise social responsibility. 

 

As such the 100’s Riders participate in all KwaZulu-Natal Bikers Federation sanctioned events aim at making a difference within society.

 

Apart from these events, the 100’s Riders assist when requested. This includes providing marshalling at running, cycling and other events or providing assistance, support or fundraising for causes such as lifeline, the SPCA and other charities.

 

From time to time the 100’s Riders feed the homeless on the streets of Pietermaritzburg.

 

During 2012, Blankets, computers and other forms of assistance were donated to God’s Golden Acre, a children’s home situated in Cato Ridge.

 

Annually, with N3TC, SAPS Vehicle Collision Unit, the Umgungundlovu Fire and Rescue and the KZN EMS, toys are distributed to children at the Edendale, Northdale and Greys’ Hospitals in Pietermaritzburg.

 

 

A new initiative was added at the end of 2012 when the 100’s Riders delivered toys and lucky packets to the children of the impoverished areas of Sweetwaters, Taylors Halt and Edendale in Pietermaritzburg.

 

It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.”

Mother Teresa

 

THE DECEMBER 2013 PROJECT

 

 

The Vision

 

A Coast to Coast (East Coast to West Coast) motorcycle journey with a purpose:

 

To promote and advocate road safety awareness 

on a national footprint especially in relation to motorcycling and 

with due regarding to the 2013 Festive season; and

 to bring joy and the spirit of Christmas to communities and 

commuters along the route and 

to identified children’s homes:

 

• To undertake an epic Bikers ride within the 100’s Riders’ fraternity and to share and enjoy the comradery and friendship of like-minded motorcycling enthusiasts;
   
• To undertake the journey wearing Santa Claus Outfits;
   
• To bring the joy and the spirit of Christmas to communities and commuters along the route and to identified children’s homes;
   
• To participate in a national ‘spot Santa Claus’ competition;
   
• To promote, advocate and practice road safety on a national footprint and along the journey route and to deliver a message to government regarding the need to enforce the wearing of high-viz jackets of bicyclist and motorcyclists; 
   
• To deliver a memoradum regarding the need to enforce the wearing of high-viz jackets for bicyclist and motorcyclists to an appropriate government representative in Cape Town; 
   
• To partner with and involve appropriate organisations, entities and personalities that share the 100’s Riders vision; and
   
• To seek the blessing of all appropriate biking clubs and federations and to seek the involvement and support of clubs and federations along the route; and

 

Commence: Monday, 16 December (Day of Reconciliation) reaching Cape Town on Friday, 20 December.

 

 

The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision. 

Helen Keller

 

 

 

Realisation

 

 

Let your dreams be bigger than your fears, and your actions louder than your words.

Anon

 

In order to realise the vision set out above, we seek to partner with organisations, entities and personalities who share and wish to participate and contribute to the realisation of this vision………..

 

 

Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you riding through the ruts, don't complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. Don't bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality. Wake Up and Live! 

Bob Marley

 

View:

Motorbike Safety

Accident Scene Investigations and Road Safety 

Also visit the following sections:

• Motorcycle Safety 101
• Road Safety & Training Motorcyclists

Drive More Safely is a NPO and centre for safer driving, promoting road safety and education

1. Child in Traffic – Our program on pedestrian safety for 3 to 8 year olds. This program was featured on SABC 3 Expresso Breakfast Show. This training takes place every first Saturday of the month at our training facilities or by invitation from a school. Our equipment is mobile so we can come to you. Cost of the training is R20.00 per child. Child receives a certificate and a snack pack.
    
2. Child safety in the Vehicle – a campaign addressing the high fatality rate amongst children due to the lack of child safety restraints in the vehicles. We also actively lobby for the urgent revising of the child safety law in the National road traffic act. This campaign asks for used child safety seats to be donated, we refurbish them and make them available to families for a small fee. To date, the campaign has given 2500 children the opportunity to survive a car crash by being safely strapped in. Wheel Well has taken over the campaign in Johannesburg and doing justice to this Drive More Safely baby. (This campaign was featured on Etv, Great Expectations)
    
3. Take a Break – our driver fatigue campaign running during the festive season and Easter weekends along the N1 where we have a road camp manned by Drive More Safely staff, Provincial traffic officers, SAPS and Emergency Services. This provides a safe spot where motorists can pull off, take a break, receive a cup of tea or coffee, have their blood pressure checked, receive some road safety information and literature and child restraints should they need one. This camp also provides an opportunity to make sure the vehicle is road worthy, the driver and vehicle is licensed and that the driver is not suffering from fatigue. 

1. Winner Feb 2011 – Social Enterprise Business Plan Competition (Department Economic Development and Tourism WC) 
2. Nomination – 2011 Shoprite/Checkers Woman of the Year (Education and Youth Development) 
3. Hero of the Month October – Lead SA
4. Member – Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP SA)
5. Member – UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020