1. Have your car checked out properly
This includes checking oil and water, checking and replacing the tyres (including the spare), taking your car for a service if it's due, and small, lesser-thought-of repairs such as replacement of the rubber on your car's windscreen wipers. After a year like the one we've just had, the last thing you need is car issues en route to a well-deserved holiday! Check out this article if you would like to take care of the pre-holiday automotive checklist yourself.
2. Join the AA or get any other reliable form of roadside assistance
If your car is older, maybe your OEM's roadside assistance plan is no longer valid. If your insurance doesn't offer you this service, you need to make a plan. Nobody wants to be stuck on the side of the road during the silly season. Apart from being hugely inconvenient, it is terribly unsafe.
Full AA memberships start from R93 per month and go up to R140 per month. You can also download the AA Rescue Me app or Armed Response app at R35 per month if you don't want to become a full member. Go to the AA website for more details.
3. Get enough rest before you go
A good night's sleep is priceless when you have a long road trip ahead of you. Just feeling tired and run down in general? Speak to your GP about getting a Vitamin B injection a few days before you set off. Other over-the-counter B Vitamins like Neurobion (my go-to brand of Vit B) can also assist if there's no time or money for a GP appointment. It's better to steer clear of too much caffeine to perk you up when you're tired, as it can make you nervous and agitated and more likely to experience road rage or lose your temper with your passengers.
Related: Tips to stay alert behind the wheel
4. Always be prepared for an emergency
Life happens! Your car could hit a pothole, you could get lost, or your battery could die, or you may be involved in a serious accident. For this reason, we suggest that you always have the following in your vehicle:
- A powerful flashlight with additional batteries
- A spare tyre (brush up on changing a tyre if it’s been a while)
- A portable tool kit
- Jumper cables
- Hazard triangles
- A cell phone charger (those portable USB hubs that plug into your car's 12V power socket can be bought cheaply online or at retail outlets)
- Drinking water, as well as water for your car
- Non-perishable snack items like energy bars
- A first aid kit (which also contains an emergency blanket as well as a pocket mask to keep everyone safe if you should be required to perform CPR)
- a map of the area (in case you don't have cell coverage or a GPS)
5. Tie down or secure loose objects
Loose luggage items that go flying can become deadly weapons should your car have to come to a sudden stop or be involved in a collision. Make sure that all items are properly secured to prevent injuries.
6. Wear your seatbelt and ensure everyone onboard is safely strapped in, too
While most of us are serious about wearing our seatbelts, I notice that quite often, my kids forget to buckle up when we return from a rest stop. Check that everyone is wearing their seatbelts before starting the engine.
7. Don't speed!
Drive to the conditions of the road, not necessarily to the indicated speed limit. Also, when driving after dark or in the rain, you really need to slow down.
Speeding is potentially deadly, especially if you involve other people in vehicles that may not be as safe as yours. Should someone be seriously injured or die, you could be facing jail time. On a lighter note, receiving an assortment of speeding fines after you've spent all your money over the holidays is just downright depressing!
8. Stay off the phone
If your car doesn't have Bluetooth or a hands-free kit, it's better to let your co-driver answer or respond to messages on your behalf. If you're travelling solo, rather lock your phone in the boot or keep it in the cubby hole, out of your reach. Don't operate your phone and the car simultaneously. Distracted driving is just as dangerous as drunk driving.
8. Just one drink is one drink too many - just say no
You may not be inebriated, but believe it or not, your ability to react quickly is already impaired after just one drink. Not drinking at all is still your best bet. And while marijuana or dagga has been legalised for personal use at home, it's a very bad idea to smoke before you drive, while smoking or having dagga in your car will likely result in an urgent call to your lawyer if you're caught.
9. Take the road less travelled
While we know that fuel is very expensive, sometimes a detour can go a long way (no pun intended) in alleviating road-trip blues. Driving behind large, slow trucks on busy roads such as the N1 is torture, so why not try an alternative route? Just be sure to plan ahead so you know exactly where you're going.
10. Watch out for pedestrians
If you hit a pedestrian, biker, or cyclist, you're basically guilty until proven innocent. The law will usually take the side of the person(s) not protected by the structure of a vehicle, so always be on the lookout for these vulnerable road users and people (especially children) who may wander into the road at any moment.
11. Don't pick up hitch-hikers
I will admit that I have picked up ladies who were on their way to work in neighbouring towns, but I reside in a largely rural area in the Western Cape that is considered to be quite safe compared to Gauteng, for example. Bear in mind that every time you pick up a stranger you are taking a risk. Driving a bakkie? This really gets hitchhikers excited. However, should your passengers in the load bay be injured during the course of an accident, you may be held accountable.
12. Be vigilant at busy service stations, shopping malls, and rest stops
Thieves see the festive season as the perfect opportunity to relieve you of your valuables. Whether it's a signal jammer that gets access to your car, someone offering you "assistance" if you're having car troubles or distracting you at the ATM while the other makes off with your phone or wallet, you can be sure that criminals will be on the lookout for potential victims. Instead of using the busy rest stops, why not drive into the smaller towns and fill up your car there? Chances are that you'll avoid these individuals altogether, and you'll also be boosting the local economy instead of making giant corporations like Shell even richer. Also, ensure that your children are accompanied when they visit the bathroom or shops.
