TEN TIPS TO AVOID ROAD ACCIDENTS THIS FESTIVE SEASON

Road accidents have claimed thousands of lives in Kenya this year. It is worst during the festive seasons around Christmas and New Years. Many families, families, colleagues have lost their loved ones in senseless road accidents that could have been avoided. According to the NTSA statistics, 2331 people lost their lives in 2017 and 3183 were seriously injured. This is a very sad affair that needs to stop immediately. You can do your part to reduce the carnage on the roads. Driving safely should be concern of each and every driver on the road.

Here at PESABAZAAR.com, we want to make sure our customers and all road users exercise caution on the roads especially this festive season. The following are some of precautionary tips every driver should observe:

Don't drink and drive. If you drink, don't drive. Don't underestimate the effect of one glass or bottle of alcohol on your driving, if you have been drinking, don't take chances, and don't get behind the wheel.

Don't drive distracted. Avoid using mobile devices when you are driving a vehicle. Stay off the phone and don't text. If you must use the phone or any other mobile device while on the road, pull over to the side of the road when it's safe to do so.

Overtake with caution. Take care when over taking, make sure you have clear sight of the road ahead. Don't overtake in corners, bridges and uphill. Plan to make sure you have more than enough space. Take extra caution when overtake large vehicles like buses, lorries, tankers, trailers etc.

Drive at safe speeds. Exceeding speed limits or driving too fast for traffic conditions increases your chances of being killed in an auto accident. Take more care when driving at night or during wet weather when roads are especially slippery.

Use caution at intersections. Intersections are the center of most accidents. When entering an intersection, look left, then right, then left again to ensure the area is clear.

Change lanes carefully. Check all mirrors and signal long before you plan to change lanes. Keep an eye out for other vehicles that might be in blind spots. Follow the simple MSM rule. Mirror Signal Maneuver.

Don't follow too closely. A generally safe and easy rule to follow is the two-second rule. There should be enough distance between you and the car in front of you to be able to count one-one thousand, two-one thousand from the time the car is at an object until the time your car reaches that same object.

Do not encourage aggressive drivers. Let others' aggressive driving behavior roll off your back, or call the police. Don't allow other road users to cause you agitation.

Take regular breaks. Make sure you are in good health and well rested before getting behind the wheel. If you are going on a long journey, take regular breaks and freshen up to ensure you are fully awake and alert.

Service your vehicle. Ensure your vehicle is serviced by a licensed mechanic regularly. Check all breaks, tires and wheel system to make sure it is road worthy state. A faulty vehicle on the road can quickly become a deadly hazard to all road users.

Please forward this message to other road users to help save a life. Each one keep one, working together, we can help tame the carnage on the roads.

Image source: www.standardmedia.co.ke