Drivers' caution

This article is borne out of an adage that says when a child is trained, he should also give himself more training.

Quite a large number of drivers (commercial vehicle drivers, private vehicle drivers, drivers of self-own vehicles and riders) don’t know what driving or Riding really entails. As I often say in my training sessions, driving is a complex task which involves the simultaneous use of several organs of the body in a continuously changing environment to gather, interpret and apply information to ensure effective and safe vehicle control.

This goes to say that driving requires physical fitness, mental or emotional fitness, and concentration to ensure safety in any driving environment or situation on the road.

It is therefore disheartening to see Drivers drinking alcohol, smoking or using cannabis or hemp in any form before or while driving.

They all contain strong psychoactive chemicals which negatively interferes with the brain’s reasoning ability thereby making it difficult for Drivers to judge distance and space as well as slows down their reaction time.

I have seen cases of drivers who did not have enough pre-driving sleep because of poor time management. Many drivers have trusted Cannabis or hemp to help them in their driving task; not knowing that the Tetra-hydro-cannabinol contained in the cannabis destabilises their mental fitness to drive safely.

Several drivers, particularly those who drive articulated vehicles, do use combination drugs “to keep themselves awake” while driving not knowing that the only safe antidote to fatigue is adequate sleep. Other prescriptions only amount to postponing the evil day as daily manifested in the number of articulated vehicles seen in the bush where no one ever imagined such accident could occur.

Every driver must believe and take note of the following:

• Driving is a complex task which needs to be well understood and practiced with safety-consciousness in mind.
• Understand and avoids acts that can interfere with physical, mental or emotional fitness to drive.
• Understand and regularly read the traffic signs, road markings and traffic rules.
• Get sponsored by your employer and also sponsor yourself if need be, to attend re-training programmes in accredited driving schools to upgrade yourself in the art of safe driving.
• See other road users as members of your family who should not be killed or injured by you on the road. Don’t just drive to stay alive but drive to save lives.
• Regularly maintain your vehicle and make it roadworthy for safe movement on the road.
• Always manifest the fear of God in everything you think, say or do while driving, no matter the actions of other road users.

With the fear of God, sound training and safety-consciousness, safety on the road is guaranteed in every situation.