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Driving and vehicle safety Driving and vehicle safety <img alt="" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/PublishingImages/Driving%20and%20vehicle%20safety%20Header.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /><div class="ExternalClass264D2385755A4B698BA665A244F4F982"><p>Read this page for tips and rules to keep you, your family, and other drivers safe when you are driving.​</p> </div><h2 class="sectHeading">​Good driving habits</h2><h4> Adopt these habits to become a smarter driver: </h4><ul><li>Check your tyre pressure monthly – under-inflated tyres cause accidents. If possible, buy your own pressure gauge and check your tyre pressure yourself, as they can be more reliable than the ones from petrol stations.</li><li>Don't idle your car engine to warm it up (if you do, try to keep it to 20-30 seconds); your car will warm up best (and most safely) if you drive it immediately but without accelerating too much. </li><li>Try to leave at least five minutes earlier for a slower, safer ride. </li><li>Use cruise control as much as possible (except in hilly areas); modern motors can handle better driving at lower revolutions per minute (RPMs).</li><li>If you do have to load your vehicle heavily, try to put more weight in the front to avoid lifting the nose of the vehicle – lifting the nose increases the air drag, making the car less streamlined which uses more fuel.</li><li>Turn off your engine if you need to fasten seatbelts for your children or when you load and unload your car.</li></ul><p>Find out more about safe following distances on the <a title="Arrive Alive website​." href="https://www.arrivealive.co.za/" target="_blank">Arrive Alive website<i class="icon link-external"></i>​</a>. For tips on how to drive greener, please see <a href="https://www.capetown.gov.za/Family%20and%20home/transport-and-vehicles/greener-travel/smart-driving">Smart driving</a>. </p><h2 class="sectHeading">Be safe on the road</h2><h4> The following are the most basic guidelines for being a safe driver: </h4><ul><li>Be alert and vigilant of your surroundings.</li><li>Don’t drink and drive.</li><li>Buckle up! Make sure your passengers (front and back) wear their safety belts, especially children.</li><li>Keep a safe following distance of at least 1.5 metres from the car in front of you. </li><li>Switch on your headlamps when visibility is poor.</li><li>Make sure your vehicle is roadworthy.</li><li>Don’t use your cellphone at all when driving.</li></ul><h2 class="sectHeading">Cellphone safety</h2><p>It is illegal to talk on a cellphone or send text messages while driving. In Cape Town, drivers caught speaking without the use of a hands-free kit will be fined on the spot and have their <a href="https://www.capetown.gov.za/Family%20and%20home/transport-and-vehicles/vehicles-and-driving/impoundments">cellphones confiscated</a>.</p><h4> Facts about cellphone driving:</h4><ul><li>Having a cellphone conversation is just as dangerous as texting while you drive.</li><li>One single phone call results in an average of 52 seconds of distracted driving.</li><li>When you use your cellphone, you can fail to notice up to 50% of your environment, including traffic lights and pedestrians.</li><li>Talking to someone on a cellphone is different from talking to a passenger in the car with you (the difference is one set of eyes on the road versus two).</li><li>Adult passengers also adjust their talking when traffic is challenging; people on the other end of a cellphone conversation are not aware of the traffic.</li><li>Using a hands free kit ​when driving is legal, but your concentration is still impaired.</li></ul><p> <i>Source – MasterDrive SA-‘It can wait’ campaign</i></p><h2 class="sectHeading">Buckle up </h2><p>The law states that every passenger in a car must wear their seatbelts. You will be fined R500 for not wearing your belt or wearing one that doesn't work properly. Drivers will be fined R1 000 if a child passenger is not belted up.</p><div class="notification with-heading dark-copy light-blue bg-light-grey"><div class="graphic with-border"> <i class="info fastfact"></i> </div><div class="desc"><h4>Fast fact</h4><p>Not wearing your seatbelt can be fatal. Safety belts are 99% effective in preventing drivers and passengers from being ejected in an accident. They reduce the risk of death in an accident by nearly 45%.</p></div></div><h2 class="sectHeading">​Watch out for cyclists <br></h2><p>As a driver, it is your responsibility to <a href="https://www.capetown.gov.za/Family%20and%20home/transport-and-vehicles/cycling-and-walking-in-cape-town/think-about-cyclists-and-pedestrians">look out for other vehicles and pedestrians on the road</a>. Remember to always ‘think bike’: expect to see cyclists and take care.</p><h4> When driving, remember to:</h4><ul><li>give cyclists space – there must be 1,5 metres or at least half a car’s width between your car and the cyclist; </li><li>never force your way past cyclists; </li><li>look out for cyclists when you drive, especially when you check your blind spot;</li><li>keep within speed limits and slow down when you need to; </li><li>expect sudden movements by cyclists, especially in windy Cape weather and on bad road surfaces;</li><li>always signal at circles and every time you pass a cyclist;</li><li>watch for riders on the inside when you turn left and don’t cut them off;</li><li>be patient – a few seconds for a cyclist hardly affects your total journey time;</li><li>always look for cyclists before opening a car door;</li><li>don’t drive or park in lanes reserved for bicycles;</li><li>expect speed from bikes – think of a bike as a vehicle;</li><li>use your dim/dipped headlights; and</li><li>consider that cyclists turning right need space and time. </li></ul><h2 class="sectHeading">Road rage </h2><h4>Drivers who are angry and frustrated often drive aggressively. Aggressive behaviour can take the form of:</h4><ul><li>cutting someone off; </li><li>speeding; </li><li>following too closely; </li><li>running red lights; </li><li>making unsafe lane changes; </li><li>rude hand gestures;</li><li>angry shouting and hooting;</li><li>physical fights; and</li><li>drivers using their vehicles to force people off the road or ram into other vehicles.</li></ul><div class="notification with-heading dark-copy pink bg-light-grey"><div class="graphic with-border"> <i class="info toptip"></i> </div><div class="desc"><h4>Top tip</h4><p>Do not hoot back, flash your lights or make rude gestures as this will only make you aggravated as well and may result in an argument or fight</p></div></div><h4> Tips to avoid aggressive driving:</h4><ul><li>Avoid conflict with other road users.</li><li>Be polite and stay calm.</li><li>Allow another motorist to filter into the ‘gap’ when it is safe to do so.</li><li>Don’t ‘hug’ the right lane on a freeway. </li><li>Forget your home or work worries and concentrate on your driving.</li><li>Rather be late than involved in an accident.</li><li>Play music that you enjoy to stay in a good mood.</li><li>Drive with your car doors locked and keep a safe following distance.</li><li>If you see trouble, stay in your car and try and remove yourself from the situation.</li><li>If you are a victim of aggression, take down the car’s registration number and report the problem to the police.</li></ul><h2 class="sectHeading">Motorcycle safety</h2><h4> Keep the following in mind if you are driving a motorcycle:</h4><ul><li>Always wear helmets (both rider and passenger).</li><li>Never place objects or persons in front of the rider – they might interfere with the handlebars.</li><li>Wear bright clothing for visibility and safety (e.g. leather jacket and long pants).</li><li>Wear closed shoes.</li><li>Make sure that you are licensed to ride the particular class of motorcycle.</li></ul><h2 class="sectHeading">Skateboarding and roller skating</h2><p>You are not legally allowed to use a skateboard or rollerblades on a public road or pavement. However, the City has created skate parks where you can skateboard and rollerblade safely. To find a skate park near you, contact our <a href="https://www.capetown.gov.za/Departments/Recreation%20and%20Parks%20Department">Recreation and Parks Department</a>.</p>GP0|#7e7437e6-4cc7-476f-b896-dbb843ab75be;L0|#07e7437e6-4cc7-476f-b896-dbb843ab75be|Driving and vehicle safety;GTSet|#ef3a64a2-d764-44bc-9d69-3a63d3fadea1;GPP|#00d4d49a-c378-43ad-bf39-d52bd0d43fdc;GPP|#bb1d214c-4a13-47f8-89cd-911676b553ad;GPP|#245ec7aa-a528-4cd3-bcac-597c292db711;GP0|#5392635f-ff44-4646-a735-cee15d803079;L0|#05392635f-ff44-4646-a735-cee15d803079|Driving and vehicle safety;GPP|#14f28a8e-0a68-42b1-8871-7e8fd66a3283;GPP|#14a3ee0b-b641-42d6-9511-506df3d1bdc9;GPP|#c529c1ac-1f8d-48ae-8079-d34f4dae9c57;GP0|#6f0f9135-5d77-492b-8c83-eaa6413268af;L0|#06f0f9135-5d77-492b-8c83-eaa6413268af|Driving and vehicle safety;GPP|#0f252e5e-cbae-49e4-a32a-5948f5c74f9d;GPP|#9f841cad-99c7-419d-a78f-65752fc421d4;GPP|#af370586-9ba3-404a-9d6e-02066ca42752;GP0|#61b08978-da5c-4b8e-8f15-83c5716045f5;L0|#061b08978-da5c-4b8e-8f15-83c5716045f5|Driving and vehicle safety;GPP|#535b3a4a-cc07-4f22-a0ae-87bac46e162a;GPP|#6f520d07-fa28-4a39-a1a6-a53c75fe9ed2;GPP|#e88ff549-973f-4e3c-a46c-cfbe61bd6a24Follow these tips and rules to stay safe when driving in Cape Town.0

 

 

Traffic and Speed Camera PolicyTraffic and Speed Camera Policy157201GP0|#ecf0e702-25db-4c12-bbc2-be85db2304fd;L0|#0ecf0e702-25db-4c12-bbc2-be85db2304fd|Policy;GTSet|#f1e8889f-f7d7-4d5b-a3f5-af0ca2e076ea;GPP|#2d2209ac-5bcc-4d2a-9da9-05fb21c94ea1;GPP|#0972c695-fd19-46c4-ab5d-9601f17b780e2018-07-25T22:00:00Z

 

 

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