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Close to 90% of South African motorists believe that compliance with the rules of the road has worsened over two years. That’s according to a survey by the Automobile Association published in May 2017.
75% of respondents also said that they thought the attitude of motorists towards each other had also deteriorated over this period. And 55% said they thought visible policing had declined. In their press release, the AA commented that a more pragmatic approach was needed to deal with the issues on our roads.
What can drivers do to make our roads safer?
According to the AA, every driver needs to take responsibility for following the rules of the road and making them safer: “In addition to having more traffic officers on our roads, law enforcers need to be given the necessary resources to effectively do their jobs.
Road safety doesn’t only reside with traffic officials; the entire justice system needs to be involved to ensure offenders are aware there are punitive consequences for their actions.
Road users must also play their part. Reckless and negligent driving is something every driver can avoid, but, it seems, too many are shirking their duty to be responsible motorists,” the AA said.
Research shows drivers get worse over time: they become increasingly complacent about safety the longer they drive. With this in mind, we would like to look at some of the rules of the road for common traffic violations that affect fleets.
In the first part of our series, we show you how to drive around a traffic circle. Be sure to check out the second part of our series looking at lane splitting tips for motorcyclists.
The Arrive Alive website has detailed instructions on what to do when driving around a traffic circle/roundabout.
When turning left (taking the first exit)
- Keep in the left-hand lane and signal left.
- Keeping on the left of the roundabout, continue signalling left and exit.
When going straight on (taking the second exit)
- As you approach the roundabout select the appropriate lane. If there are no markings on the road it is safe to keep to the left lane.
- Keep in this lane until you want to exit the roundabout.
- After you have passed the first exit, signal left and proceed to exit the roundabout at the second exit.
When turning right (taking the third exit)
- Approach in the right-hand lane and signal right.
- Keep to the right on the roundabout until you are ready to exit at the third exit.
- After you have passed the second exit signal left and proceed to change lanes and exit the roundabout at the third exit.
At Avis Fleet we like to offer our customers total peace of mind that should something go wrong, we’ll be there to assist you in every step of the process.
Our comprehensive fleet management solutions take the sting out of dealing with the unforeseen. Have a look at our accident management solution to see how we can assist you.
