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The Road Safety Foundation will continue to work with corporates, their employees and, as a key strategy for 2010, focus on key responsibilities of individual road users.

Each individual that puts up their hand to behave in a responsible manner on the roads, takes us one step closer to safe roads.

Let's work together to make our roads safe! 

  
Driving for Better Business

The Road Safety Foundation has been authorised to roll out the "Driving for Better Business" programme in South Africa.

The aim of the programme is to raise awareness of the importance of work-related road safety, in the business community and public sector by using advocates drawn from these communities to promote the business benefits of managing it effectively.

For more information please contact Petro Kruger - petro.kruger@roadsafetyfoundation.co.za / Philip Hull - philip.hull@roadsafetyfoundation.co.za .

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Inaccurate Readings at your peril!
Have you ever wondered what causes the huge amounts of tyre debris one sees lying on or alongside our South African roads? It seems that wherever you drive these days, bits of tyre, partial or even complete casings have become a common occurrence. Bridgestone South Africa tasked the Road Safety Foundation to look into this increasingly emerging phenomenon, in an attempt to ascertain the cause.
 
Bridgestone General Manager, Group Public Relations, Romano Daniels comments that tyre technology has improved substantially over the years, and whilst South Africa has recently started importing cheaper, and sometimes sub-standard tyres into the country, he doesn’t believe that this could possibly be the only factor in this apparent increased tyre failure.
 
A blowout of a tyre can be caused by a number of factors, however more often than not; incorrect tyre inflation is the cause. And here is where it really starts to get interesting! You and I as motorists, check our tyre pressures occasionally (often only when we remember, or if we’re on a long trip), more often than not at various petrol stations depending on when and where we require fuel. The pump attendant will fill your car with fuel, clean your windscreen, and offer to check your vehicles oil, water and tyre pressures.
 
The tyre pressure gauges that are utilized on the forecourt to measure your tyre pressures are often hopelessly inadequate. As part of the Bridgestone National Tyre Index a research study was conducted by The Road Safety Foundation, in which 91 different forecourt tyre pressure gauges were checked for accuracy. A tyre inflated to 2.0 bars was placed in the load area of a vehicle – this was done so there was no heat build up which would occur if the tyre was fitted on the car. A calibrated gauge was used to set the tyre pressure, and the same gauge used to record all subsequent readings. In addition, altitude was also recorded as the testing took place over a large geographical area.
 
Results of the research indicated that only 48% of gauges tested gave acceptable readings, 5% were not operational, 29% produced marginal readings and 18% recorded potentially life-threatening and totally unacceptable readings. Almost one in five tyres tested at our filling stations, would result in incorrect, and therefore potentially hazardous pressures.
To put this dangerous issue into perspective and taking one of the pressures that were recorded, if a reading of 2.6 bars was the reading at the pump, and pressures were then reduced to manufacturers specification of 2.0 bars, the actual pressure in the tyre would be in the region of 1.4 bars! Under-inflation of tyres, according to Bridgestone, is arguably one of the main contributors to tyre failure and blowouts and often results in major accidents.
Currently, there is no legislation in South Africa regarding testing, calibration and maintenance of these tyre inflators, some of which we know have been in operation for more than fifteen years with very little maintenance.
 
So what are the options for the South African drivers, accepting the fact that introducing legislation may take years? The opinion of Bridgestone South Africa and The Road Safety Foundation is for motorists to purchase a good quality tyre gauge from a reputable spares outlet and to set tyre pressures using this gauge. Another couple of important tips regarding tyre pressures, is always check pressures when cold, and refer to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations when carrying heavier loads.
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Van Reenen - Easter 2008
Community Medical Services
(in association with The Road Safety Foundation)
Easter Road Service Report
 
 

A somewhat different Easter weekend was expected this year by the Community Medical Services Team based down at Van Reenens Pass on the N3 between Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal. Coinciding with Easter weekend was the closure of most government schools in the country, resulting in an expected increase in normal Easter weekend traffic.

Traffic volumes started increasing earlier than normal, with our first threshold of 1000 vehicles per hour being recorded at 10:00 on Thursday morning. This volume rapidly climbed to just under 2000 vehicles per hour by 13:00, and held consistently in the 1800-2000 vehicles per hour until 20:00 that evening, whereafter a decrease down to 800 vehicles per hour at midnight was recorded. Friday morning volumes were over 1000 units per hour by 06:00, and peaked at 1400 vehicles per hour by 09:00. By 13:00, traffic volumes had decreased to around the 400 mark, and the team could begin to relax.

The return volumes on Monday reached a peak of around 2000 at 13:00 which was maintained until 17:00, where a gradual reduction began with volumes falling below the 1000 mark around 21:00 that evening.

During this period, the team responded to 5 accidents and 43 obstructions and/or breakdowns. 5 fatalities and 6 serious injuries were experienced at our most serious accident involving a head-on collision between an Audi TT and a taxi. The cause of this accident is still under investigation, however at this stage it appears that the Audi was traveling on the wrong side of the motorway. Irrespective of the cause of accident, this is still another needless waste of lives!

On Saturday afternoon we received a call for an aircraft accident in the area, and search and rescue protocols were immediately activated. First medical teams arrived on scene within an hour, however tragically, both occupants in the aircraft had been killed on impact. Three members of the team assisted over the next few hours with counseling procedures with the family, and returned the following morning to continue. Our thoughts and condolences from the entire team go to the families involved in this tragic accident.

On a happier note, the Community Medical Services team celebrated 25 years of service on the Van Reenens Pass, and apart from acknowledging all of those medical volunteers over the years, the 25 years would not have been possible without those companies that have supported us not only with finances, but also with vehicles, foodstuffs etc. Their involvement, energy and encouragement over the years, has undoubtedly made this 25 years possible, and to all of you from all of us – a huge “THANK YOU”.

Continuing on this happier note, it was a real pleasure to welcome the BMW Road Service Team back onto the Pass. BMW initiated the Van Reenens project some 26 years ago, and for various reasons terminated their involvement in 1996. Their decision to resume their vital activities at Van Reenens is really applauded, and brings a further dimension of roadside assistance to the N3. Welcome back, and we look forward to the next 25 years as an even stronger team, thanks to your involvement.

The Road Safety Foundation, in association with UNICEF, Bridgestone SA and N3 Toll Concessions (N3TC), initiated a “THINK Kidz” program to increase awareness and education of children and parents around issues surrounding road safety. The visual awareness included boom gloves on all of the toll booms on the N3 with the words “THINK Kidz”, and a marquee erected at the Caltex at Van Reenens with various activities for children and parents. Nicole Fox joined the team as a UNICEF celebrity advocate, and really performed a wonderful function of communicating the various road safety messages to the children. A big thank you to Nicole and UNICEF for all of their support and energy. Some 1000 ‘THINK Kidz’ visibility belts were handed out, as well as ‘THINK Kidz’ T-shirts with seat belt awareness messaging, various games and activity booklets for the children.
 

This program will be maintained at various levels throughout the year, with a further big push over the year-end period.

For some time now, we have had a strong involvement with the schools at Van Reenens, and have assisted with food, clothing and certain educational aspects. These five schools in the area (approximately 900 children), receive very little support. In association with N3TC, we have initiated a project where we will be able to offer these children a number of vital benefits.
These will include:
·         The employment of a permanent medical coordinator to be based at Van Reenens.
·         Free dental and optical evaluations and treatment
·         Full clinical benefits including testing for HIV, diabetes, TB etc
·         Nutritional evaluation
·         Promotion of sporting activities and the supply of relevant apparel and equipment
·         Educational assistance, including introduction of computers (where applicable)

In essence we would like to improve these children’s lives in every way possible, and should anyone reading this wish to join us in these vital endeavours to give these children a better future, please feel free to call us – we would value your support and involvement.

 
Report compiled by Philip Hull
(012) 369 6209 / 082 803 6363 / philip.hull@roadsafetyfoundation.co.za
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