If a driver is acting recklessly
Remain calm, no aggressive action, and adjust speed and distance to other vehicles correctly.
Vulnerable road users: pedestrians
tend not to stick to rules
-mostly because they don’t feel part of the traffic
Vulnerable road users: children
They’re spontaneous and direct in behaviour but also unpredictable
- When driving in areas with children, drive calmly and be watchful
- Many accidents happen where cars are parked near crossing children.. Children do not watch out because since they can’t look across parked cars, they can’t always see you coming - therefore responsibility is yours.
- Driving in residential streets lined with parked cars over 30km/h will result in an accident.
Vulnerable road users: old people, handicapped people
May also be unpredictable
- Diminishing power of observation and ability to react
- Often can make the wrong decision when using the road.
- Difficult to recognize if they aren’t behaving insecurely
- Sometimes stopping is appropriate, as long as drivers behind you know why you are stopping
Vulnerable road users: Cyclists
Often behave rashly on the road
- Subtle signs cyclist is turning: small turn of head, delay in peddling
- Roughly half the cyclists have no lights on in the dark
- Accidents are often unavoidable..
Vulnerable road users: Mopeds, riders of motor assisted bicycles
age group 16-25 are dangerous cyclists or motorcyclists…
- Mopeds must use the cycle/moped track
- Speed limit is 30km/h in builtup area and 40km/h outside builtup area.
- If not moped/cycle track, they are allowed to ride on the road both within and outside the builtup area with a max speed of 45km/h
-Motorized bicycles are only allowed to ride on the road if there is no cycle/moped trak and their max speed is 25km/h both inside and outside the built up area. These regulations are the same for motorized scooters (segways)
What to do when dealing with overspeeding mopeds/motor assisted bicycles
-only thing you can do to avoid problems with overspeeding is to anticipate the dangerous behaviour
Vulnerable road users: Motorcyclists
Motorcyclists when in a hurry will overtake other road users on the right. This is hard to anticipate.
- Many are part of a group of road users that disturb traffic
- Keep a cool head.
Vulnerable road users: Groups of pedestrians
Size, slowness and pattern of movement have a disorderly affect on road users.
-Assess overall traffic situation when you approach groups like these
-If this group follows the road, they are subject to the same rules as drivers of non-motorized vehicles.
Vulnerable road users: horse riders and people accompanying horse and draught animals
Adjust speed when overtaking, allow for a distance of at least 1.5 meters at the side and do not use your horn
Mobile shops
May be a hazard, esp if stopped on a bend or junction
-block views and are surrounded by unpredictable people.
Learner cars
sometimes do foolish things, and instructor relies on the tolerance of other road users
Agricultural traffic
If driving behind a tractor with a high load, there is no doub tthe driver can’t see you. Wait patiently until there is room to overtake.
- be aware they may move suddenly without indication to turn into an entrance..
- be aware the driver may be young.. maybe only 16.
Tractor with light at dusk
- a linked up vehicle which is wider than a tractor is hard to distinguish
- the tractor with connected vehicle is wider than his lighting leads you to suspect
- the linked up trailer may be wider than the tractor
If approaching an accident
- drivers in front of you may reduce speed (suddenly)
- pedestrians may be walking around on the spot of the accident or on the roadway
- you must not allow yourself to be distracted from the traffic by trying to find out the details
Vehicles with hazards on
waring that
- you are approaching a stationary or very slowly moving queue
- a vehicle in front of you is being towed
- a broken down vehicle has stopped
- you can warn drivers behind you when approaching a traffic jam by putting on your hazards
Stationary police car or motorbike with flashing light
be prepared for
- slowly moving queue
- stationary vehicles due to an accident
- a blocked lane
Vehicle with foreign registration number
Driver may
- suddenly brake
- indicate too late
- stop unexpectedly to ask for the way
