Every year, especially around the holiday season, we see so many reports of vehicle collisions that claim hundreds of lives across our country. But we can be the heroes who change this reality - if we choose to alter our more dangerous habits and make road safety a priority. With just a few minor changes, we can help keep ourselves, our families, and our passengers safer, healthier, and more aware.  

 Buckle up (it’s been proven time and time again to save lives) 

 South Africans are notoriously careless about using their seatbelts, it seems, with Arrive Alive’s research showing that around 19% of drivers and almost 50% of front passengers countrywide simply don’t buckle up. But seatbelts save thousands of lives each year. By using our seatbelts, and insisting that our passengers also strap in, we can change these statistics for the better.  

 Watch your speed 

 We all know what it’s like to be late for work or an important event, but the faster we drive, the more likely we are to have a collision. And the higher your speed, the more likely that that accident can result in a tragedy. Being late isn’t fatal, but speeding can be. Keeping to the speed limit is one of the easiest ways to be a better driver.  

 Keep your car in top shape  

It’s easy to forget that car maintenance is actually one of the best ways to promote road safety – because many accidents are the result of vehicles that aren’t roadworthy. TotalEnergies offers free services checks at numerous locations countrywide, so you can always make sure that your car is in the best possible condition. It’s also important to use the right products to make sure your car’s performance is optimized, from brake fluids to lubricants to petrol, as keeping your car in top shape can help give you better response time in the event of a dangerous incident on the road.  

Wear your mask when driving with others 

 The COVID-19 pandemic has changed a lot about the way we live our lives, particularly the way in which we spend time together. It’s easy to forget that even with windows open, we’re still in close quarters with our passengers in our cars. That’s why wearing a mask is vital to slowing down the spread of the virus and keeping the people we’re driving with safe.