EFFICIENT DRIVING GEAR 5- BECOMING.

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GEAR 5. BECOMING.

Six weeks ago we began this journey together. We have now reached the cruising speed in this series, which has become ‘The Mid-Week Dose’. I am hoping by now that we have practiced some fuel saving techniques and that we’re more environmentally conscious, that we can maintain tyres and recognize their part in vehicle control and safety, and that we have started taking care of ourselves as far as general health and safety behind the wheel is concerned. What more would you need to complete the puzzle of becoming? This last piece of the puzzle will help us complete the picture of turning driving into an art.

I think you will agree with me that driving can be very demanding and tedious, especially when done under challenging conditions and environments. This last part in this series acknowledges the risks associated with driving and looks at the need to enhance the general standard of driving, as well as the safety of you the driver and other road users, as well as your equipment. The aim is to encourage each and every one of us to have ZERO tolerance towards behavior that puts health and safety on the line while driving. We must all take reasonably practical steps to prevent incidents and accidents that will harm us or any person, including members of the public and equipment. The article also takes a look at conformance issues with the relevant statutory requirements. Here we go.

1. Vehicle Inspections: - It is your responsibility as a driver to carry out inspections on your vehicle. If you don’t know how to, pass through a service station for a quick inspection at least once every week or each time when you fill up your gas. There are NO excuses for your vehicle to run out of fuel, oil or water, or to even have obvious visual defects. It is part of your responsibilities to ensure that these are correct, including making sure that the registration and insurance statuses are up to date. Some of us only start thinking about these statutory requirements when we’re involved in an accident, or when approaching a roadblock, in which case there is very little we can do about it in that moment.

 2. Speeding- Here I would like to address two issues: engine speed, which is measured by revolution per minute or RPM on your dashboard and vehicle speed, which is measured in kilometers or miles per hour.  

i. Engine speed- It is in everyone’s best interest that vehicles are driven in accordance with Original Equipment Manufacturers’ (OEM) guiding principles regarding the use of their equipment. Some vehicles actually display a red zone on the rev counter on your dashboard - what do you think that means? Driving your vehicle in that zone means that the engine is rotating dangerously fast. It is not sustainable to run your engine at excessive speeds for long periods of time as it has far reaching consequences on the life of the engine. Your engine will be strained. Some odometers actually show you a zone in which your engine performs optimally in terms of speed and torque. This means that there is no benefit of running your engine at extremely high RPM. As a matter of fact, you are only consuming more fuel and hurting the environment. In another article, we shall engage in a separate conversation about engine performance in which I will share knowledge on the relationship between horsepower, speed and torque and how you can use them optimally.

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ii. Vehicle speed- This aspect has far reaching consequences with regards to safety. You must be guided by the state laws, road conditions and the condition of your vehicle regarding how fast you can drive per given area. Violating speed limits will not only cost you in terms of speed fines, but may also cost your life and those of others. Also, as discussed in the first article in this series, resist the temptation to accelerate to stop. This means that, once you have identified a condition that necessitates a reduction in speed, like a curve, a give way or stop sign or any other hazard, don’t accelerate when you know you should be preparing to reduce speed. Accelerating will only lead to the sudden and harsh application of brakes as danger looms. This is a dangerous and costly practice. In various future articles, we shall also discuss issues like the relationship between speed, weight, vehicle height and centre of gravity.

One day, about 8 years ago, I was late for my examination. However, I was not concerned about that because I was confident of the “Michael Schumacher” who had taken residence in me back then. The examination centre was approximately 80km from where I used to stay. On that particular day, I shared a ride with 3 of my colleagues who were also going for the same exam. I started ‘flying too low’ as was my custom. When we had driven about 30km from home, driving at about 170km/h, a fellow road user, who was driving in the outside lane in the same direction as I was, decided to change lanes and come into the inner lane where I was. With his ’perfect’ timing, I rammed into the back of his car, which was then thrust more or less 100m from the scene of the accident. My car was a write-off from the impact and my colleague now has a permanent scar on the front of her lower leg because of my action. Things could have been a lot worse. I could have been sharing these articles with you from ‘the afterlife’. What was the primary cause of the accident? As it may be very tempting to shift blame to the other guy, however, in this case, it was not the driver who changed lanes who was the primary cause, although he isn’t entirely without blame. His car didn’t ‘suddenly’ appear in front of me from nowhere. Instead, it was my incorrect use of speed which was the primary cause of the accident. If I had been driving within the speed limit, which was 60km/h on that part of the road, it is very likely that I could have avoided the collision.

So many of our loved ones have lost their lives prematurely due to the incorrect use of speed. Let us not be part of the statistics, especially now that we know better.

3. Safe Driving Practices- When we drive, may we be guided by the ‘Duty of Care’ concept to ‘drive safely and to respect the safety of others’. This is a legal responsibility. It ensures that we observe safe practices in respect of our on-road behavior. Now, let’s look at some driving conditions in which we should exercise extreme caution in order to remain true to the ‘duty of care’ concept:

i. Seat-belts, Drunken driving and Mobile phones- Life-saving Rules relating to “Buckle up” and “Be sober” must be adhered to in accordance with state laws. Anyone riding in a moving vehicle must wear seat-belts at ALL times. Any malfunction of the seat-belt must be attended to without delay. When I was young and still novice, I used to wear my seat-belt only when I saw a police roadblock ahead. I wore it for wrong reasons, the authority. My life in the mining industry helped change this bad habit and now I wear my seat-belt as soon as I sit in a car. This new practice proved to be lifesaving, about 4 years ago, when my wife and I were involved in a near fatal car accident, in which the car we were driving in rolled about 6 times before it landed on its roof. Everything else that was in the car was thrown out except the two of us, seat-belts, coupled with the grace of God, saved us. Please wear your seat-belts, not for traffic police or any such authorities, but for your own sake. Encourage passengers, if you have any, to wear their seat-belts too.

 I also encourage any driver not to drive while holding a mobile telephone - whether in one or both hands, or with any other part of the body, as in between the ear and the shoulder. Making a call, taking (live) videos, composing an electronic message while operating a vehicle is a very unsafe practice, except when using hands-free kits. However, even when using hands-free kits, if you can avoid taking a call, please do so. I have heard of countless incidents where individuals have lost control of their vehicles because they would have received bad news from the other end of the line, engaged in stressful, even joyful conversations, were taking videos for their vlogs, YouTube or the ‘gram’, or even just lost focus of the fact that they are on the road while driving…all because their attention was shifted to their mobile phone. So, if you can avoid using your mobile phones at all costs until you are safely parked, unless extremely necessary, I encourage you to do that.

ii. Tailgating- Who has ever had someone drive right behind them as if you were towing their vehicle? Or have you ever driven behind another vehicle that way? Tailgating gives out a very poor image of the tailgating driver. It is an extremely dangerous practice and may also damage your vehicle through stone chips and/or other debris that can be thrown from the vehicle in front of you. This practice also causes some road users to become very agitated and concerned for their safety, thereby leading them to drive unsafely themselves, mostly through accelerating, as they try to break away.

As a rule of thumb, drive at least four (4) seconds behind the car in front of you. These seconds can be measured by counting “1001, 1002, 1003, 1004” against a fixed roadside object/marking. In the case of heavy commercial vehicles, you must drive about the length of 4 semi-trailer combinations, or about 12 car lengths, which is approximately 6 seconds, measured by counting “1001, 1002, 1003, 1004….”

NOTE: In rainy, foggy, dusty and/or any poor visibility and slippery road conditions, the above distances should be doubled. However, if you can’t see clearly/at all, NEVER VENTURE BEYOND WHERE YOU CANNOT SEE. Park and wait until the condition/s improves.

iii. Overtaking: - This is one of the riskiest on-road activities. NEVER PASS: Over continuous lane separation lines; On narrow roads; Near or on a curve; Near or on a crest; Near or on a bridge; Near or on a railway crossing or tunnel; When clear vision is restricted; Unless you can safely do so in a timely manner.

Never Indicate or flash to influence overtaking by other road users- you may have them killed by your actions, or you may be held liable for any consequences! If you want to aid them, reduce your speed and move to the side of the road. This will assist them by improving their visibility, thereby allowing them, not you, to be the judge of their situation.

When you are driving, keep to your side of the road/lane, regardless of whether there is another road user in sight or not, especially where visibility is restricted, such as on curves, crests etc. When I was working at a mine in DRC, the mine had a private road from the pit to the processing plant which was 67km away. On a certain day, one of the copper-ore hauling trucks was driving from the pit. As the private road passed through some villages, the driver decided to make a ‘quick buck’ by carrying 6 local passengers in his cabin, among them minor children. As he was about a 3rd of the journey back to the heaps, he encroached onto the oncoming lane at a sharp curve. Unbeknown to him, another truck was coming from the opposite side. By the time both drivers saw each other, it was already too late to avoid a collision.  Sadly, the accident resulted in fatalities of all but one person…the driver who had encroached.

 Stay in Your Lane!

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 iv. Right of Way- Some road conditions give you right of way. Conditions like: Lane Changes, Merging and Roundabouts. You must always concede right of way. To contest it displays aggression and immaturity- both are major causes of accidents.

How many times have you seen drivers, perhaps even yourself, driving in traffic on freeways/highways, when someone else, approaching from a side lane, accelerates in order to try to merge into your lane in front of you?  You notice this action and you become aware of his or her intentions. How have you reacted in such situations? Instead of doing the right thing and allowing them passage, sometimes other drivers accelerate to close the gap. They begin to have thoughts like, “What a jerk! Why does he or she want to crowd in on me like that? I have been in this traffic for a long time. Besides, I am also rushing somewhere. If he or she is late, next time he or she must learn to leave on time!”? Really?! Perhaps you have already forgotten that you are also late and that, a few minutes prior to this incident, you also expected someone else to allow you passage and you thought he or she was a ‘jerk” for closing the gap on you. How about grid locks at intersections that are caused by our selfish behavior and unwillingness to concede? The result- we all get stuck in the end.

Remember that Fire Trucks, Police Vehicles & Ambulances always have the ultimate right of way when sirens or lights are flashing. Pull over to the side or stop to help their progress.

v. Road Hazards: - Efficient drivers always “drive” visually about 1km to 2 km ahead of their vehicle- this means that they observe what is happening that far in front of them. This form of driving behavior allows time to PLAN your driving: adjust your speed and position on the road, in good time, according to the type of hazard that confronts you, without excessive braking, thereby saving time, fuel and brakes, along with general wear and tear of all other components.

 You must adjust your driving to suit driving hazards such as rough surfaces, potholes, slippery surfaces, narrow or winding roads, low wires, rooves or awnings, low bridges, tunnels and like structures, trees, animals and other hazards.

Remember that your vehicle also becomes a road hazard when it breaks down whilst on the road. In case of a breakdown, move your vehicle off the road, if possible, and always use portable warning signs (Triangles) as required by the law. On a two-way or undivided highway, these must be placed between 50 metres to 100 metres to the front and rear of your broken down vehicle and another one on the outside rear end nearest to the road’s center-line from the vehicle. On a one way or divided highway, one must be placed about 200 metres to the rear, another one about 100 metres and the last one on the outside rear end nearest to the road’s center-line from your vehicle. Any other placement of these signs is incorrect.

vi. Parking: - Should you park your vehicle along the road for any reason, try to park in designated parking spots, such as lay-byes. If there are no lay-byes close by, you MUST avoid the risk of an accident by NOT parking on or within one (1) metre of the roadway – which is also illegal. Parking on the edge of many roads and highways/freeways is also illegal or may be time restricted.

Always park your vehicle in a safe position. Make sure it can be seen for 200m or more both to the front and to the rear and that it is as far away from moving traffic as possible. If in doubt, leave your hazard lights on or use portable warning signs (triangles).

vii. Reversing: - This must be kept to an absolute minimum. If you must reverse, follow these practices:

a. Think about it again first – do you really need to?

b. Get out and check behind the vehicle; check clearances at sides, top and bottom.

c. Use a spotter or guide.

d. Hazard lights must always be on when reversing.

e. Remember that you will always be held absolutely responsible for any damage caused while reversing, even when someone else is directing you.

viii. Turning: - In built up areas, you are required to signal turning intentions 30 metres to 50 metres before turning commences. On highways, this is increased to 100 metres due to increased approaching speed.

ix. Braking: - Always brake with care, remembering that every time you are applying brakes, you are braking away energy. Therefore, don’t brake unnecessarily. The vehicle reacts differently to braking according to variables such as weight/load, its distribution and condition of the road etc. Low weight over drive and/or the steer axles is particularly hazardous when the road surface is slippery.

If you are driving a semi combination vehicle which is equipped with an engine brake, never apply the engine brake in built up areas or slippery surfaces when the vehicle is empty or lightly loaded – a jack-knife will most likely result and you will not be able to recover from it.

Always have any braking defects attended to, it may save your life and that of others.

Do not attempt to adjust any brakes if you do not know how to. You must first of all be trained and assessed by a competent person

x. Accident: -  If you are involved in an accident of any kind, you must be aware of your responsibilities. First of all, human life must be at the very top of your priority list. If you are not seriously injured, you must attend to the safety of anybody involved, while at the same time contacting authorities. Inform, in short, your position or area, street or road name, suburb or town, nature of load, any spillage of materials from any vehicles involved.

Try as quickly as practicable to keep traffic moving safely. You might be able to engage the help of an onlooker/passerby to direct traffic or to assist in aiding the injured until paramedics and authorities arrive.

DO NOT move injured people, you may become liable for or even worsen their injuries, unless if you are medical personnel or a trained first-aider. Make them as comfortable as you can, talk reassuringly to them to try and keep them conscience and as calm as possible, but do not attempt to move an injured person.

If uninjured yourself, try and take photos. If you are injured, ask somebody to take them for you as it could save you from litigation later on.

Only leave the scene of the accident by direction of the police.

Obtain as much information from any person involved in the accident where you can.

BECOMING

For the past six weeks, I have endeavored to paint a picture of whom I believe to be an efficient driver. Efficient driving is not just about the action of being able to move a motorized vehicle from point A to point B, but also has everything to do with the ‘how’, the process.

An efficient driver drives to save fuel. He or she does this by employing particular driving techniques and behaviors to achieve this goal. He or she knows that this is not only done to save pennies on fuel expenses, but also to save on the external cost to the environment and communities. Ironically, when a driver drives to save fuel, they also reduce their carbon footprint, as well as emissions of other toxic gases.

An efficient driver understands the role tyres play in vehicle control, road safety and fuel consumption. Proper tyre maintenance is therefore one of their main concerns.

An efficient driver is also concerned about his or her health and safety. He or she is cognizant of the fact that, if road safety is maintained, it will also impact on the safety of others.

An efficient driver makes sure that their equipment is roadworthy. If there are any mechanical or safety concerns, he or she will make every effort to have them rectified.

An efficient driver exhibits patience and is courteous towards other road users. They also observe statutory requirements while driving.

This series was designed to impart knowledge to others, and to act as a reminder to some, on ways that will help one become an efficient driver. It has been put together to help every individual understand what is required of us whenever we drive, as it also outlines accountability. No article, however carefully thought out, can provide all answers. For this reason, I do not wish for you to adopt the attitude that if it is not in this series, it is therefore not required. These are just guidelines and will not replace further knowledge which can only be gained from experience and common sense. It all boils down to ATTITUDE. Are you willing to change, now that you know what you know and continue to learn about efficient driving?

Let’s turn driving into an art and have fun while we’re at it.

Watch this space for more articles on “The Mid-Week Dose”

Grant Mudyiwa

[email protected]

YouTube posts, coming soon.