
Hats off to the Imperial Road Safety campaign which, as part of its commitment to raising awareness and supporting key initiatives that encourage road safety, has announced its recommitment to their partnership with Bakwena N1N4 toll road and N3 Toll Concession (N3TC) that will see a continued focus on addressing road safety this Festive Season, on the N1N4 and N3 toll routes.
“As leaders in mobility it is our responsibility to encourage road safety and ensure that we are taking the lead in doing so. This project, we believe, does just this and of course, there is no better way to drive road safety than to create key opportunities at a time where road crashes are at their highest – the need is large,” says Niki Cronje, group marketing at Imperial.
As part of this project, Imperial Road Safety and Imperial’s car rental division, through Europcar, has handed over four vehicles to Bakwena as well as 15 patrol and Emergency Medical Rescue Service (EMRS) vehicles to N3TC, to be used between 10 December 2015 and 05 January 2016. This vehicle sponsorship – running for the fourth consecutive year and supported by Imperial’s Europcar – is aimed at increasing and boosting route surveillance, patrol support and post-crash care during South Africa’s busiest holiday season.
“There is no doubt that visible policing of our roads influences consumers to be more cautious and to ensure they practice safer road usage and as such, the support from Imperial Road Safety during such busy seasons is fundamental to aiding us in servicing the needs of road users and ensuring safer roads for all,” says Charmaine Van Wyk, PR Officer for Bakwena.
“In fact, in April this year, the Bakwena route saw four less crashes than the previous year and zero fatalities over the Easter period, with the N3 route decreasing the number of fatalities from three the previous year, to zero. This is evidence of the influence of additional road patrol vehicles and the importance of support such as this from corporate South Africa.”
Bakwena has established a good working relationship with the Traffic Authorities along the N1N4 route who will be carrying out regular road checks along the route over the holiday period.
Of the 15 vehicles allocated to N3TC, two of the vehicles will be used to provide additional medical assistance on the N3 Toll Route – as well as a vehicle for the N3TC Duduza ‘We Care’ Initiative, to assist with post-crash support in the Van Reenen and Ladysmith vicinity along the Route.
“These vehicles will be used to improve response times and patient care in the unfortunate instance that there is a crash along the route – a service that is most welcomed and will go a long way in demonstrating solid route support,” says Con Roux, commercial manager of N3TC. “Imperial has previously shown complete commitment and dedication to assisting N3TC in making the N3 Toll Route safer over this time and we look forward to another strong road safety campaign this year.”
“We are committed to improving road safety and supporting the larger Imperial brand in achieving this. Therefore, we are proud to, yet again, form a key pillar of this project and trust that we will make a sound difference through our involvement. As a leader in the vehicle rental space, we understand the importance of contributing to the safety of South African citizens on our roads and believe that this vehicle sponsorship is certainly one way in which we are creating safer roads this holiday season,” states Corne Venter, CEO of Imperial Car Rental Division.
Additionally, the consumption of alcohol or drugs greatly increases the risk of crashes. As a depressant, alcohol slows down the functions of the nervous system and affects information-processing skills and hand-eye coordination, often leading to a lack of concentration, comprehension and coordination as well as delayed reactions. Similarly, drugged driving poses the same threats whether it is from medication, legal or illegal substances.
Therefore, the N3TC has implemented a narcotics testing facility along its routes that will aim to identify those road users driving under the influence of a number of awareness inhibiting drugs.
Roux indicated that such testing is a critical part of managing road safety effectively, given that narcotics can severely inhibit driving ability, with broad research suggesting that drugs have the same impairment ability as that of alcohol.
In an effort to curb the high incidence of drivers and pedestrians under the influence of drugs and alcohol along main traffic routes, N3TC has funded alcohol and drug screening equipment and training to officers of the SA Police Service and Provincial and Municipal law enforcement agencies along the N3 Toll Route.
More than 25 Lifeloc alcohol screening devices have been issued to various SA Police Service (SAPS) stations along the N3 Toll Route. SAPS and the Provincial and Municipal traffic law enforcement agencies have also received drug test kits from N3TC, which will be used at various road blocks throughout the holiday season.
“Whether ensuring road safety through scholar patrol, pedestrian visibility, or encouraging people to buckle up their children, Imperial Road Safety is committed to changing people’s perceptions around being responsible road users and as such, this project is an extension of our broad and focused commitment to road safety for all. We look forward to a safer and more aware holiday period and wish all road users safe travels this festive season,” concludes Cronje.