Reduce crashes in inclement weather with thoughtful defensive driving!

Corporate South Africa is assisting with road safety awareness through internals campaigns and self -regulation! we would like to share a few road safety tips sent by Eskom to all employees encouraging them to be safer when driving in inclement weather:

Dear Colleagues

DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER

Rainy weather conditions are still expected for most of the country in the next few weeks, which could result in most roads being in a bad state. With that in mind, please consider these few tips that, if applied correctly, will help keep you safe.

Be aware of the following safety tips for driving in the rain:

Inspect your vehicle

• Make sure your windscreen wipers are working correctly, and replace cracked or old ones.


• Check your tyres, and make sure that you have sufficient tread to ensure effective grip on the road. Tread disperses water, which is critical in rainy driving conditions.

Allow extra time

• Plan ahead, and leave early, so you have sufficient time to get to your destination without having to speed.

Slow down

• Driving more slowly allows you to observe more details. When it rains, oil and grime on the tarmac rises to the surface, making the road slippery.


• When you drive slowly, the contact period between the tyre and the road surface is greater, and this improves road handling.

Increase your following distance

• It is difficult to stop or brake suddenly on a slippery road. Make sure that there is plenty of room between your car and the car in front of you.


• You should be able to see the back tyres of the car in front of you.

Turn on your headlights

• While the law does not require you to have your headlights on at all times, it is good practice to keep them on to increase your visibility.

Do not use cruise control

• Using cruise control during wet conditions is dangerous because your vehicle could easily start to do what is known as “aquaplaning”. This is when your wheels automatically speed up the moment they lose traction, and this can cause you to lose control.

Do not drive through flooded areas

• Only a few centimetres of water are enough to lift and move a vehicle. Flooding can occur on highways and roads within moments of a heavy downpour. Also be aware of low-level bridges.

Avoid fallen or hanging power lines

• If, for whatever reason, your vehicle is in an incident and comes in contact with a power line, stay inside the vehicle, and use your hazards to draw the attention of other road users while waiting for help to arrive.

Stay close to the middle of the road

When driving in the rain, try to stay as close to the centre of the road as possible. Puddles can form on the edges of the road, and you never know how deep these may be. They could be big potholes that could damage your vehicle.

Pull over correctly

• If you decide you cannot drive safely in a severe storm, move completely off the roadway, and turn your lights and hazards on.

Please share this message at your meetings, and encourage staff to tell their stories and have a discussion about these incidents. Also share the message with your family and friends.

Supervisors must communicate this message to all employees, including those without access to computers.

Prepared by:

Sustainability Systems (Occupational Health and Safety – Operational Safety)

Also view:

Safe Driving in Bad Weather

Safe Driving in Heavy Rain

Reduce crashes in inclement weather with thoughtful defensive driving!

How to stay safe in the rain: Top tips for wet weather driving

While insurance helps sort out the aftermath, when it comes to car accidents, prevention is always far better than cure. When it rains, the chances of an accident increase owing to decreased visibility and slippery roads – and with most accidents caused by driver behaviour, how you drive has a direct influence on your safety and that of others.

That’s confirmed by the South African Insurance Association, which says motor insurance claims trends show that driver behaviour contributes to more than 60% of road accidents.

By taking extra care you can make your journey safer. Apply these tips to improve your wet weather driving skills.

Stay roadworthy

Make sure your headlights, taillights, brake lights and indicators are working properly. Check that your windscreen wipers are in good condition; replace the blades if frayed, brittle or damaged.  Brittle blades make a distinctive noise as they sweep across a dry or damp windscreen. And remember to turn on headlights in the rain to increase your chances of seeing and being seen in wet conditions.

Slow down

Driving to the conditions is essential – and when raining, wet roads mean slowing down and increasing following distances. If you encounter a sudden downpour, take your foot off the accelerator and let speed drop gradually. Never use the brakes suddenly, as this can cause the car to skid. Avoid making sudden lane changes, as this can increase the possibility of aquaplaning – when your tyres ‘float’ on a layer of water, breaking their contact with the road surface.

Mind the bends

Anticipation is key when approaching a bend, more so in the rain. Slow down before the corner and engage a lower gear, particularly with sharp bends. Your speed should be at its slowest as you enter the bend and both your hands should be on the steering wheel, with gentle acceleration through the curve. This slow in/fast out technique gives you most control.

It is also advisable to increase following distances from 2 seconds to 4 seconds.

Be careful of other vehicles to the rear and in blind spot areas as they are especially difficult to see through rain-spattered windows.

Middle of the road

Whenever possible, drive in the middle lane when it’;s raining. Water pools more in the outside lanes because of limited drainage, making the road surface more dangerous.

The deep end

Attempting to drive through deep water can cause damage to your vehicle’s electronics; it is also impossible to gauge just how deep a puddle is before you go through it. If you have to drive through a puddle, go especially slowly and turn around or reverse if the water reaches the bottom of your car doors. If your car gets submerged too deeply, the engine will stall and water might enter the engine through the air intake forcing you to replace it.

Never drive over bridges covered by moving water.

After the rain

When the rain has passed, make sure to test your brakes particularly if the downpour was heavy. Water can have a brief effect on disc brakes; braking a little (when safe to do so) quickly dispels water on the surface of the discs, allowing them to function as normal.

Finally, remember that rain does not cause car accidents – people diving in the rain do. By taking note of these easy tips, you can become a better wet weather driver, reducing the risk of accident to yourself, your family and other road users.

Also view:

Safe Driving in the Rain

Safe Driving in Bad Weather Conditions

For more information on car insurance, visit www.miway.co.za

MiWay is an Authorised Financial Services Provider (Licence no: 33970)

Insurance Limited (‘MiWay’) is a direct, short-term insurance company, offering customers a range of short-term insurance products including motor, household and homeowners insurance as well as add-on products such as warranty cover and liability cover. MiWay’;s shareholder is Santam, a blue-chip JSE-listed company.

How to stay safe in the rain: Top tips for wet weather driving

Aston Martin Drops Pictures of 2016 Lagonda Super Sedan, Specifics Brutal Hot Weather Testing

Is it attainable for a auto to be as well quite to torture test? The 2016 Aston Martin Lagonda could just qualify, but it is undergoing completely savage-sounding hot-climate testing anyway. The restricted-production Lagonda sedan will be sold exclusively sold in the Middle East, therefore the brutal high-temperature evaluations, but much more crucial than the 4-door’s (admittedly) anticipated hot-air gauntlet is that Aston Martin has finally released its personal images of it.

Earlier this month, the Lagonda super-sedan was kinda, sorta accidentally previewed to the world by Oman Air, Aston’s transportation companion to the Middle East. Unlike the airline’s “leaked” pictures, Aston’s are far far more flattering, coffee table book–grade pieces, but nevertheless reveal only the car’s exterior. That is okay by us, however—the factor is just so damn gorgeous.

The slick, un-camouflaged auto depicted in the photos is the first Lagonda built, according to Aston Martin spokesman Matthew Clarke, and it is a verification test vehicle that’s about 5000 miles into a “Hot Environment” testing cycle. “Broadly representative of a production model,” Clarke says of the vehicle, the prototype is deliberately configured in a “worst-case situation for heat—lots of black.” Onboard, the Lagonda carries information loggers that monitor about 85 temperature sensors and supply the group with a heat map of the interior and exterior this electronic web possibly explains why we nonetheless don’t have any shots of the car’s interior.

“Air conditioning functionality and efficiency is an apparent consideration, but we’re also hunting at engine hot begins, durability of elements and material efficiency,” mentioned Clarke. “One distinct test is a ‘heat soak’—the car is left in direct, peak sunlight for a number of hours to generate cabin trim surface temperatures of circa 80 degrees celsius (176 degrees fahrenheit).”

 

The hot climate testing procedures include driving the automobile roughly 500 miles per day over a 4-week period of time, for a total of 14,000 miles in Oman more than a 30-50 degrees celsius (86–122 degrees fahrenheit) temperature band, according to Clarke. Think of the process as giving the Lagonda a sun-kissed tan, but carrying out so with no sunscreen, water, or the gentility associated with the word “kissed.”

As for the appear of the auto itself, there is little we see here that Oman Air didn’t currently give away: the front finish wears a stern expression, with a broad, horizontal grille and straightforward LED headlamp particulars. The profile—especially the squared-off C-pillar—is fairly formal, and the extended, flat hood exudes an air of energy and grace. The Lagonda’s hood’s air extractors are situated in far more or much less the exact same areas as are these on the 577-hp Rapide S, leading us to think that it is powered by a equivalent V-12 engine. Provided the Lagonda’s loftier position, however, we’d count on it will get a bit far more power. We can also see that, like all recent Astons, all 4 of the Lagonda’s doors open out and up a slight, curb-clearing angle.

Beyond what we can see, nonetheless, specifics are thin it isn’t presently clear how significantly of the physique is carbon fiber or some other exotic material, or if any such material is utilised at all. The car’s underpinnings, as well, are a mystery the architecture most likely is shared with the Rapide S, but there’s a chance it utilizes components from Aston’s next-generation car architecture. Oh, and as we currently pointed out, Aston Martin still hasn’t shown off the Lagonda’s interior.

What we do know is this: No much more than 200 examples of this beautiful sedan will be built—expect buyer deliveries to begin by this time subsequent year—and the thing’s A/C need to be on point. It will only be sold in the Middle East, and possibly for lots, and lots, and lots of income.

Aston Martin Drops Pictures of 2016 Lagonda Super Sedan, Specifics Brutal Hot Weather Testing

Aston Martin Drops Photos of 2016 Lagonda Super Sedan, Information Brutal Hot Weather Testing

Is it possible for a vehicle to be as well pretty to torture test? The 2016 Aston Martin Lagonda might just qualify, but it is undergoing totally savage-sounding hot-climate testing anyway. The limited-production Lagonda sedan will be sold exclusively sold in the Middle East, therefore the brutal higher-temperature evaluations, but more crucial than the 4-door’s (admittedly) anticipated hot-air gauntlet is that Aston Martin has lastly released its own pictures of it.

Earlier this month, the Lagonda super-sedan was kinda, sorta accidentally previewed to the world by Oman Air, Aston’s transportation partner to the Middle East. As opposed to the airline’s “leaked” photos, Aston’s are far a lot more flattering, coffee table book–grade pieces, but still reveal only the car’s exterior. That is okay by us, however—the point is just so damn beautiful.

The slick, un-camouflaged auto depicted in the pictures is the very first Lagonda built, according to Aston Martin spokesman Matthew Clarke, and it is a verification test vehicle that’s about 5000 miles into a “Hot Environment” testing cycle. “Broadly representative of a production model,” Clarke says of the automobile, the prototype is deliberately configured in a “worst-case situation for heat—lots of black.” Onboard, the Lagonda carries information loggers that monitor about 85 temperature sensors and give the group with a heat map of the interior and exterior this electronic web possibly explains why we nevertheless don’t have any shots of the car’s interior.

“Air conditioning functionality and efficiency is an clear consideration, but we’re also searching at engine hot begins, durability of components and material performance,” stated Clarke. “One certain test is a ‘heat soak’—the auto is left in direct, peak sunlight for several hours to create cabin trim surface temperatures of circa 80 degrees celsius (176 degrees fahrenheit).”

 

The hot weather testing procedures contain driving the vehicle roughly 500 miles per day more than a 4-week period of time, for a total of 14,000 miles in Oman more than a 30-50 degrees celsius (86–122 degrees fahrenheit) temperature band, according to Clarke. Think of the method as giving the Lagonda a sun-kissed tan, but doing so with out sunscreen, water, or the gentility linked with the word “kissed.”

As for the appear of the automobile itself, there is tiny we see right here that Oman Air didn’t already give away: the front end wears a stern expression, with a broad, horizontal grille and basic LED headlamp particulars. The profile—especially the squared-off C-pillar—is quite formal, and the long, flat hood exudes an air of energy and grace. The Lagonda’s hood’s air extractors are positioned in a lot more or less the same locations as are these on the 577-hp Rapide S, top us to think that it is powered by a related V-12 engine. Provided the Lagonda’s loftier position, nevertheless, we’d count on it will get a bit much more energy. We can also see that, like all current Astons, all 4 of the Lagonda’s doors open out and up a slight, curb-clearing angle.

Beyond what we can see, even so, details are thin it isn’t presently clear how considerably of the body is carbon fiber or some other exotic material, or if any such material is employed at all. The car’s underpinnings, too, are a mystery the architecture most probably is shared with the Rapide S, but there’s a opportunity it utilizes elements from Aston’s next-generation automobile architecture. Oh, and as we already mentioned, Aston Martin still hasn’t shown off the Lagonda’s interior.

What we do know is this: No far more than 200 examples of this beautiful sedan will be built—expect buyer deliveries to commence by this time subsequent year—and the thing’s A/C ought to be on point. It will only be sold in the Middle East, and possibly for lots, and lots, and lots of funds.

Aston Martin Drops Photos of 2016 Lagonda Super Sedan, Information Brutal Hot Weather Testing

British motors – as unreliable as the British weather?

If there’s 1 issue you can rely on in Britain, it’s the unreliable climate.

Prepare for rain and the sun will be cracking the flags. Leave the home without a brolly and the downpours will be Biblical.

And if the findings of the newest Warranty Direct Reliability Index are something to go by, British motors are just as temperamental.

Information breakdown

The Index looks at information from more than 50,000 live Warranty Direct policies and prices them across 4 categories:

• Frequency of failure


• Expense of repair


• Duration of repairs


• Average age and mileage

The typical score is 100 – and UK tends to make of car notched-up a effectively-above-typical of 209. Which is bad news, truly, since the more dependable the motor, the reduced its score. So the UK’s high score puts it clear bottom of the 8-nation table of most reliable manufacturers.

At the other end of the scale, Japanese brands proved to be the most dependable – they were the only tends to make to obtain a below-typical score.

Here’s how these benefits break down (you see what I did there?):

Axle to grind

The findings show that axle/suspension difficulty is the most common fault for UK brands, accounting for more than a quarter (26%) of all recorded malfunctions. Axle and suspension troubles also featured most frequently across Japanese (25%), American (23%) and Italian (29%) brands.

Electrical faults were also a big dilemma, accounting for about a quarter of faults in French (29%) and Swedish (26%), German (24%) and South Korean (22%) brands.

Extended warranty

The figures are based upon Warranty Direct’s own warranty claim charges for vehicles that are no longer covered by manufacturer warranties. This implies the information can be slightly skewed since some firms offer you warranties that run longer than the common 3 years.

This indicates information from South Korean brands like Hyundai and Kia, as well as Toyota of Japan and the USA’s Chevrolet, will not function till they are 5 or even 6 years old, which means there’s a higher likelihood of standard put on and tear.

Brands on the run

On the face of it, these benefits suggest the UK automobile business is in a bit of a state – not only is the UK score more than twice the supposed RI average, but the reason it’s so higher is down to underperformance from 2 of its most prestigious brands, Jaguar and Land Rover.

However, due to the fact these brands are deemed among the top marques in motoring they’ll always be highly sought right after, regardless of whether the suspension is likely to go after a handful of years.

And this does not just apply to certain brands as the very same notions are often applied to nations –Germany is a watchword for engineering excellence, but it came sixth in the table.

State of the nation

David Gerrans, Warranty Direct managing director, stated: “Though the automotive sector has many blurred lines now in terms of countries of origin, the average consumer maintains particular preconceptions about automobile brands and the nations that generate them. ‘German reliability’ is an oft-utilized phrase, but as demonstrated here, the country’s output as a entire doesn’t  match up to its close neighbours, the French, whose vehicles as a complete are a lot more dependable.”

It should be remembered that car makers throw their nets far and wide, which means that Japanese car you’re knocking about in is more likely to have been manufactured in the north east than the Far East.

And so the higher-scores accomplished by Japan’s Nissan and Honda bode effectively for the Sunderland-made Qashqai and the Swindon-created Civic – and the UK motor manufacturing market as a whole.

British motors – as unreliable as the British weather?