Vehicle and mental preparedness imperative to road safety

With the festive season coming up, many South Africans will be hitting the roads for some long distance holiday travels.

With this comes an increase in road traffic and statistically a higher number of road accidents.

The Automobile Association (AA) encourages motorists to ensure they and their vehicles are travel-ready in preparation of long trips.

The AA’s 125-point check can help ensure the mechanical soundness of your vehicle. This thorough check involves an inspection of the 125 important components of your vehicle’s body, interior, boot, engine, battery and undercarriage, and a test drive.

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Following this, you will receive a comprehensive report detailing the condition of each of these components, with further comments on any repairs or maintenance needed if necessary.

This service is offered at AA Quality Approved outlets in South Africa, of which there are a good few in the Zululand region.

Aside from vehicle soundness, the AA emphasises the importance of ensuring drivers are mentally ready for long-distance travel, a factor that is often overlooked.

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Prepare yourself for the chances of high traffic on the roads, ensure you are well rested before taking a long drive, and do not hesitate to take driving breaks when needed.

Some indications of impaired driving due to fatigue, both physical and mental, include feeling drowsy, impatience, irritation and indecisiveness. Being tired while driving has been compared to driving under the influence of alcohol and can lead to serious accidents.

Your state of mind when driving has in impact on not only yourself, but also on your passengers and other road users. As a motorist, you have a responsibility to make sure you are mentally prepared to drive, especially in times like these.

Do what is in control to eliminate stress and the chances of anything going wrong on your end-of-year road trip.

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