DCSTM PROMOTES DEFENSIVE DRIVING AND ROAD SAFETY IN VENTERSDORP
VENTERSDORP – The North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management continues to strengthen road safety awareness and promote responsible driving behaviour through its Driver Skills Enhancement Programme, held at the JB Marks Municipal Lapa in Ventersdorp.
Welcoming participants and outlining the objectives of the programme, event coordinator Mr Eric Maile emphasised the importance of equipping drivers with the knowledge and practical skills necessary to prevent road crashes and protect all road users.
“The programme aims to equip drivers with essential knowledge and practical skills to promote responsible driving, prevent road crashes and protect all road users,” said Maile.
Facilitating the session, Mr Mzweleni Khumalo from MasterDrive guided participants through the five pillars of road safety: safe vehicles, safe speeds, safe roads, safe road users and post-crash response.
He highlighted the importance of ensuring that vehicles are roadworthy through regular inspections, complying with speed limits, recognising the role of safe road infrastructure and exercising caution around vulnerable road users, particularly pedestrians.
Defensive driving was a key focus of the programme, with participants encouraged to anticipate potential hazards, remain alert and make informed decisions to prevent collisions. Khumalo emphasised that maintaining a safe following distance is essential to giving drivers sufficient time to react to unexpected situations.
“Drivers must maintain a minimum following distance of three to four seconds to allow sufficient time to react to unexpected situations and reduce the risk of rear-end collisions,” he said.
The session further explored driver reaction time and the importance of identifying potential hazards on the road. These include moving hazards, such as other vehicles and pedestrians, as well as fixed hazards, including roadside structures and stationary objects.
To reinforce proactive and responsible driving, Khumalo introduced participants to the SPIDER technique, a systematic approach to identifying and responding to road hazards. The technique encourages drivers to scan their surroundings, predict potential dangers, identify hazards, decide on the appropriate course of action, execute the decision and respond accordingly.
He also stressed the importance of forward vision and effective visual scanning, explaining that drivers must look well ahead and remain conscious of their surroundings to anticipate changing road conditions. Maintaining effective visual awareness enables drivers to identify risks early, assess potential dangers and take appropriate action to avoid collisions.
The Driver Skills Enhancement Programme reaffirms the department’s commitment to promoting responsible driving practices, enhancing driver competence and reducing road crashes across the province.
Through ongoing road safety education and driver skills development, the department seeks to cultivate a culture of vigilance, accountability and shared responsibility among motorists and all road users.
