STRENGTHENING THE CHAIN OF ROAD SAFETY 

We often look at different aspects of road safety as separate factors. The reality is that road safety is a chain in which all these factors are linked.

We see so much emphasis on which is the best car seat and whether rear-facing is better than forward-facing that oftentimes, we overlook other links in the “road safety chain”. While having a good child restraint system is important, its efficacy is diminished if the driver does not observe safe driving, if weather conditions are bad, or if you have neglected to replace your tyres.

Like any chain – figurative or literal – it is only as strong as the individual links of its makeup. Any link that is weak or broken will cause the chain to fall apart. One link is no more important than the rest when it comes to the effectiveness of the chain as a whole. This is also true when it comes to road safety.

CHAIN LINK ONE: CHILD SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM 

By law, all children must use a car seat up until the age of 3 years old.

Keep in mind that almost everything in a car is manufactured around the size and weight of an adult. Up until the age of 10, car seats and other child restraint systems will always be the safest option for your child. Thereafter they will be the correct size and weight to use a seatbelt.

Make sure that your child is using the right type of car seat for their developmental stage. Their bodies are still growing and changing and they have different needs at each stage of development. They need the right car seat to accommodate these needs.

Do not feel pressured to move your child to their next car seat, as soon as they reach the minimum requirements for that seat. Last month, we looked at a study that analysed crash statistics and it indicated that children were vulnerable during the transition period from one seat to the next. Keep them in their current car seat as long as possible. As you can see from our  , the transition period can span several months. In that time, they continue to develop with their little bodies becoming stronger. Use our chart to track your child’s development so that you know when they will be ready for their next car seat.

Also important is the correct installation of your car seat. A car seat that is not properly installed could be more harmful to your child than having no car seat at all. We cannot stress the importance of carefully following the installation guidelines as set out in the manual.

Modern cars include a universal car seat anchorage system known as ISOFIX. Choosing an ISOFIX-compatible car seat will allow for easy installation in most vehicles.

CHAIN LINK TWO: A SAFE DRIVER 

One might argue that road safety starts with the driver. While a driver cannot always control the factors external to the car, they are responsible for their passengers inside their car.

The driver must set an example for their passengers – especially their children who tend to follow the actions of those around them. For example, statistics show that there is less chance that other passengers in a vehicle will use a seatbelt if the driver neglects to do so. By extension, a driver should always be informed of road safety practices and demonstrate them inside their vehicle and out.

Drivers should also never overload their vehicles. Each person should have their own seat and thus their own seatbelt or car seat. An overloaded vehicle means that not every passenger is safely restrained. The extra weight and force of additional and unrestrained bodies can lead to greater injury or death in a crash.

Your children are also worth the time it takes to teach and reinforce road safety rules. As most of us cannot be with our children every second of the day, we are responsible for teaching them principles that might keep them safe when they are in someone else’s care.

It is also important for a driver to operate a vehicle with a clear mind. Focus on operating your vehicle safely without distraction. No one should ever drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol, no matter how capable you think you may be in that state. Driving while fatigued is also a big contributor to car crashes.

Distractions behind the wheel are incredibly dangerous – in South Africa, texting while driving is the reason behind 25% of crashes.

When you are driving, your mind should be present and focused while doing so.

CHAIN LINK THREE: A SAFE VEHICLE 

Vehicle maintenance is vital to road safety. Routine maintenance should be a top priority. A well-maintained car has a much higher chance of keeping occupants safer in a crash or avoiding a crash altogether.

Routine maintenance will ensure that your engine, tyres, wheel alignment, brake pads, lights and other functions of your vehicle are running at optimal condition. Drivers should also regularly inspect their vehicles for damage and wear between services.

The cost of maintaining a vehicle often leads to many people putting off maintenance as long as they can. Delaying maintenance is not only unsafe but it can lead to small problems becoming bigger and more expensive over time. Maintenance will also more likely find hidden problems that a driver may miss in their inspections.

CHAIN LINK FOUR: SAFE ROADS AND DRIVING CONDITIONS 

Every driver knows that driving can be unpredictable when it comes to other road users and atypical driving conditions. One of the challenges of driving is anticipating potential dangers and avoiding them.

Defensive driving is a great practice for all drivers. Defensive driving prioritises safe driving by having the driver constantly process and analyse the potential risks around them. Driving at a speed appropriate for the roads you are travelling on allows you more time to react to unpredictable situations and avoid the likelihood of a crash.

 A good driver adapts their driving to fit the conditions around them. We maintain that for every adverse driving condition – such as bad weather, low light conditions, busy traffic, residential or school zones where children are dashing into the road and so on – you should reduce your speed by 10% per condition. If you are driving with children, you should further reduce your speed by 10% as they are vulnerable passengers in the event of a crash.

When travelling, try to remain knowledgeable of avoidable hazards, roadworks, power outages or dangerous areas. The more you know, the more capable you are of better judgement.

Road safety is essential, especially if it keeps our children safe. But it must extend to all four of these areas of road safety. Parents and caregivers must work at constantly maintaining and improving these different links of the road safety chain in equal measure to keep themselves, their children, and other road users safe.

Consider the strength of your road safety chain and how you can work on fortifying the links that hold it together.