A sorry state of affairs
Quite frankly, the road safety situation in South Africa is a sorry state of affairs. While the country’s Transport Minister likes to talk about a reduction in fatalities, this is far removed from the reality of the situation. Research by Zutobi reveals that South Africa is the most dangerous country in the world in which to drive. This is confirmed by statistics: a total of 1,685 people died on the country’s roads in the short period from 1 December 2021 to 11 January 2022. The figures outside of peak holiday seasons aren’t much better; in January and February this year 1,823 people lost their lives on our roads.
Accordingly, the Automobile Association (AA) says South Africa is far from achieving the international targets it agreed to at the 3rd Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Stockholm, Sweden in early 2020. At that conference, South Africa committed itself to the international target of reducing road fatalities by half by 2030 as part of the worldwide 50BY30 Campaign.
“Unless an urgent intervention focuses on road safety education, more extensive traffic law enforcement, and better prosecution of offenders, these numbers will not reduce. Also, focussing on single aspects of road safety such as drunk driving while ignoring others such as pedestrian safety will not result in significant reductions in road fatalities,” notes the AA.
It points out that crumbling local and provincial infrastructure is contributing to South Africa’s poor road safety record. “Dangerous potholed streets, inoperative streetlights, blocked stormwater drains, pollution-filled rivers and streams which overflow, and unkempt sidewalks and traffic islands are among the issues that require attention and should be prioritized by local and provincial authorities. We again urge government to urgently implement the findings of the 2019 Traffic Law Enforcement Review Committee to double the number of traffic law enforcers on our roads,” the AA stresses.
Isuzu to the rescue
That’s the tragic situation in South Africa – and it’s not one that will change overnight. Thankfully, however, many companies are doing what they can to reduce the carnage – and Isuzu Motors South Africa is one of them.
“Truck safety is the cumulative effect of engineering design, devices, driver tools and continuous, numerous upgrades over the life of a truck. Safety also has a dominant link in caring for the driver, the crew and the environment – any road crash and consequent damage to both vehicle repair or human suffering has a massive impact on the environment.
“An Isuzu N-Series travelling at a legal 100km/h is covering 28m every second – lose two seconds and that amounts to 56m. That is why every technical aspect of an Isuzu truck is designed around the SEE philosophy (Safety, Efficiency and Environment), which aims to provide maximum driver comfort and productivity. Accordingly, Isuzu Motors South Africa is proud to present the latest changes to the already successful N and F-Series truck ranges,” says a company spokesperson.
Exact upgrades
So, exactly what safety features can we expect from the N and F-Series truck ranges? There are quite a lot.
For instance, the trucks feature ECE R29 cab protection (selected models only). This employs an internationally recognised crash protection standard for both driver and crew. The cab has been subjected to crash tests under controlled and measurable conditions.
The trucks have airbags for both driver and one passenger (this complements the two standard inertia-reel seatbelts).
Daylight Running Lights (DRL) provide a massive advantage in driver reaction times in all weather and lighting conditions. (The FTS does not have this feature.)
Drum brakes are fitted all round. While ABS (Antilock Brake System) is standard on all Isuzu trucks, drums have proved to be more suited to off-road conditions. ABS has the additional advantage of allowing a driver to brake and steer during emergency braking.
The Isuzu trucks come with telematics. This not only provides fleet management information but also driver information in real-time. This data adds up to driver protection in the event of an incident on the road where a driver is not at fault but is being blamed for the event.
Yet another feature that bodes well for safety is clutch auto-adjust. Apart from reduced maintenance for adjustments, this demands less clutch operation skill from a driver over a long day.
A cab-tilt warning buzzer on F-Series and N-Series single cab models means that, if the cab tilt lever is not locked, an alarm will sound. This improves overall vehicle and cab safety. A warning lamp in the meter panel will turn on as well.
Other invaluable new features too
The trucks aren’t only gaining safety features. They’re gaining features that make the vehicles more efficient too.
For instance, the trucks have a coolant level sensor. The NPR/NQR 4HK1 models have a sensor positioned on the radiator upper tank that provides a warning light and an audio buzzer for a driver to take corrective action and avoid engine failure.
Isuzu has upgraded the transmission on the Isuzu FVM. The ZF transmission on the popular FVM model will move from a six-speed to a nine-speed unit. This makes the unit more drivable by providing a driver with extra gear ratio choices in variable and difficult terrain.
The engine on all FV models has been upgraded. FVM power is improved from 176 to 221kW, and torque is improved from 706 to 980Nm. On the FVR/FVZ models, the power is improved from 206 to 221kW, and torque is improved from 882 to 980Nm.
Finally, the F-Series gains a more powerful alternator and increased battery capacity. It moves up from a 60Amp alternator and 70Ah battery to a 90Amp alternator and 90Ah battery.
