A driver going faster than he or she legally should is always on the lookout for the traffic police. - File

Everybody seems to be hurrying these days, whether they are professional drivers, truck drivers, motor car drivers we all have deadlines to meet and appointments to keep. A driver going faster than he or she legally should is always on the lookout for the traffic police. Hence, their concentration on the road is considerably reduced and what normally happens is an erratic pace, punctured by bursts of great speed and periods of cautious creeping.

The organisers of the First United Nations Global Road Safety week underscored the point that speeding is a factor contributing to road traffic injuries in most countries.

basic pointers

The toolkit for the organisers of such event maintained four basic pointers:

1. Young men in particular are likely to drive at excessive or inappropriate speeds.

2. Reducing the average traffic speed by 1 km/h has been shown to lead to a 40-50 per cent decrease in fatal crashes.

3. Reducing the speed at which traffic is moving also protects pedestrians.

4. Appropriate speed limits should be set and enforced.

The world report on road traffic injury prevention and from other recent studies states that unless drastic measures are taken to counter the trend, the number of death and disabilities from road traffic crashes will continue to increase over the next three decades. This will make road traffic injuries the eighth leading cause of death by the year 2030.

"Safe speeds depend upon the degree of skill and concentration achieved by the driver and the mechanical condition of the vehicle," said Norris Christian, an experienced accredited driver trained by Griffon International. "Speed is comparative. What might be thought a crawling pace on a clear, straight, open road might well be a dangerous speed in a congested, built-up area or in a narrow winding lane."

Finding a comfortable speed should be the first duty of the defensive driver when he begins his road trip. This is the speed at which the driver and motor vehicle seem to function best. It may vary from day to day, depending on the weather, the road, the driver's capabilities and the vehicle's mechanical condition.

mental strain

"Stay within the speed limit," advised Kanute Hare, director at the Road Traffic Unit, in the Ministry of Transport. "The mental strain and distraction on the driver who is travelling above the legal speed can greatly increase the danger of an accident."

Christian believes that much of the dangers when driving on highways or on regular roads would be eliminated if we never overtook any vehicles. "This would nullify the need for passing, a skill which demands a lot of practice before it can be executed," he said.

Christians reminds drivers that:

1. A passing position should not be entered impulsively.

2. Read the road continuously. The road should be absolutely clear before you pull out. Read the road signs carefully.

3. Ensure that you are fully aware of the situation ahead; if things look doubtful, wait.

4. If the road is unclear or oncoming traffic is heavy, you should wait, there is no prize waiting to be collected quickly.

5. It is best to pass a motor vehicle only when the lane for oncoming traffic is completely clear.

It is therefore necessary to consider four factors:

FACTOR A: The reaction time. The time required for the brain to register the need to take action and to convey its command to the hand or foot.

FACTOR B: The state of the road: Be aware of the texture, the structure and the surface condition.

FACTOR C: The state of the weather.

FACTOR D: The condition of the vehicle - particularly the condition of the brakes and the overall condition of the vehicle.