Hi Folks…

We close off our newsletter for the year with some sobering statistics from the UK. While our experience, from a driver training and risk management perspective, is somewhat different. Given the intensity of our transportation needs and requirements it is uniquely challenging but it never the less assists in identifying that certain professions are higher risk than others. 

In South Africa the one area most would commonly agree on is Taxi’s, and with that in mind, we leave you with 10 basic driving principals which you should share with colleagues and family during the festive season. These are:

1.   Keep a following distance of at least three seconds to prevent collisions.

2.   Now is NOT the time to drink and drive - If you know you are going to drink, organise a designated driver.

3.   You and your passengers must always wear their seatbelts.

4.   Ensure mirrors are in optimal positions to reduce blind spots before setting off on your journey

5.   Plan your route before leaving so that you have adequate time to stop for breaks. Every 2 hours or every 200 km.

6.   Driving demands your full attention and you should remove all distractions from your driving space. Please note that even children can be a distraction so have activities to keep them occupied. Distracted while driving is a “killer” – don’t misuse your phone. 

7.   Change gears between 2 000 and 2 500rp/m as lower revs help you save fuel.

8.   Keep an eye on traffic by anticipating changes and keep your tyres moving so that you do not have to waste fuel regaining momentum after stopping.

9.   If you are stationary for more than 30 seconds it is also more economical to turn off a warm engine. An engine that idles for four to five minutes uses the same fuel used to drive 2km.

10. Check if your tyres are properly inflated before leaving. Under-inflated tyres create drag and use extra fuel.

Till next year - Drive Safe and remember Drive to arrive at your destination, even if it is a little late. Better late than never!

Eugene Herbert

Group Managing Director

The RAC Group

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ACCIDENT PRONE OCCUPATIONS

Professional drivers of fleet vehicles made the top of a list of safest drivers, while members of the travel industry are considered the most accident prone, according to a survey from online auto insurance provider Goji.

Higher Risk

Travel industry workers are over 15 times more likely than those in marketing or advertising to be behind the wheel when an accident occurs, according to the survey, which relied on self-reported data from a sample size of at least 500 responses.

·         Travel workers said they had been in an accident 8.81 percent of the time in the past five years.

·         Human resources professionals reported an accident 6.83 percent of the time.

·         Other accident-prone professions included:

-          healthcare (5.59 percent),

-          information technology (5.59 percent),

-          customer service (5.5 percent)

-          restaurant workers (5.43 percent),

-          real estate (5.36 percent),

-          professor (5.14 percent),

-          accountant (4.24 percent), and

-          Construction worker (3.94 percent).

Lower Risk Drivers

Professional drivers of limousines, town cars, taxis, and buses reported no accidents. Other low-risk professions included:

-          marketing/advertising (0.58 percent),

-          business owners (0.85 percent),

-          finance (0.87 percent),

-          lawyer (1.12 percent),

-          architect (1.24 percent),

-          retirees (1.64 percent),

-          house wife or husband (1.74 percent),

-          clergy (1.81 percent), and