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31. DON'T OVER-REACT 

 

Inexperienced city motorists often find themselves in difficulty driving on country roads. Their driving practice has been limited to suburbs and cities, which is vastly different. Here we are looking at a major cause of serious road crashes in rural areas: Running off the bitumen, then losing control of the vehicle!

A moment's inattention, looking at the scenery or nodding off fatigued, is enough for the vehicle to veer into the gravel. But it's not too late to correct the mistake. 

Why do drivers negotiate bends too fast?
They misjudge speed through inexperience.
They ignore advisory speed signs, too optimistic as to their ability.

They are running late for an urgent appointment. 

Others are showing off or feel invincible, affected by alcohol.

Inexperienced drivers misread the sharpness of the corner or they may be distracted and not recognize it. 

 

These errors do not necessarily lead to a crash -yet! Drivers who enter a bend too fast and find they are off the bitumen, can still recover safely. Tyres can manage a gravel surface. The problems start when the driver acts wrongly (overreacts.)

What NOT to do (Don't over-react!)

1. Sharp braking!

 Imagine sudden, heavy braking with two wheels on gravel and two wheels on bitumen. The car may slide, possibly into oncoming traffic!

2. Jerking the steering wheel to correct the error!

 Turning the steering wheel suddenly, trying to recover is dangerous at high speed. Not only may you cross into the oncoming traffic, but lose control altogether.

What you MUST do! 

 

1. Immediately come off the accelerator. 

2. Brake lightly, if at all necessary. 

3. Gently steer* back onto the bitumen!

*The steering wheel must be held tightly, should the vehicle have to drive over a deep drain, culvert or over an object!

Motorists who don't over-react are in a better position to stay in control of their vehicle. Running into the gravel does not have to lead to a crash.

Debris on the road: When suddenly confronted with a solid object on the roadway, braking sharply is a possibility, but only if there is no traffic behind! Running over the obstacle, depending on the object. may be the better option. Keep a firm grip on the wheel.

The ABC of gentle motoring:

Accelerate gently - Brake gently - Corner gently

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Our information could vary in your part of the world. We recommend you use above information in conjunction with a professional driving instructor.

Road Safety by Dieter Fischer - Learner Driver Hub 2020.