This includes checking all your tyres, mirrors, windscreen wipers, oil, water and brake fluid, as well as the fan belt, spare wheel, jack and wheel spanner. It is recommended that your vehicle is professionally serviced before a long trip, it could save you much anger, expense and frustration on your trip.

Buckle up

Legally in South Africa all drivers and passengers must remain buckled up throughout a journey. It is the drivers’ responsibility and legal obligation to ensure he and all his passengers, including children are buckled up in a seat belt or car safety seat. An adult will be guilty of a criminal offence if he/she allows a child younger than 14 years to travel in a motor vehicle unrestrained. Should the driver not abide by these laws and a child is killed in an accident, the driver will be arrested and tried for homicide.

Lets make this very clear – if you can afford a car, you can afford a car seat.

No child under the age of 14 should be sitting in the front seat. All young children must be restrained in a child’s car seat or seated on a booster seat. The frightening fact is that you are more than twice as likely to be killed in a car accident today than you were 10 years ago. 2 people are killed on our roads every hour and one out of 7 South African living today have, or will be, involved in a collision resulting in an injury. A collision with a stationary object while travelling at 120 kph produces forces equivalent to driving your car off the top of a ten storey building, not forgetting that 2 cars travelling towards each other at 60 kph, have a closing speed of 120kph.

Newton’s Law of Motion, when related to driving in a car, means that an unrestrained 10kg toddler becomes a 300kg human projectile, rocketing forward, either into the back of the drivers seat, into the dashboard or more appallingly straight through the windscreen. These are just a few of the reasons why you must buckle up.

Travel only during the day

Your chances of being involved in a fatal collision increase significantly at night.

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT VITAL 2 SECOND FOLLOWING DISTANCE. AT NIGHT, IN WET WEATHER, AND MISTY CONDITIONS THIS DISTANCE SHOULD BE INCREASED.

Adhere to speed limits

Speed limit signs along the routes, are the maximum speed you should travel in ideal driving conditions.

The family

If you are driving a long distance with a car full of children, think about what you are going to give them to eat on the journey. Salty snack type foods, that look so appealing, are often full of Tartrazine, which makes children hyperactive, more likely to fight, and also of course, very thirsty. We all know that many brand name gassy cold drinks in cans, don't really quench a thirst. What about making a real lemon drink. Apples and bananas don't make such a mess and pass the time of day. Why not stop and have lunch, it gives the driver time to stretch and rest his or her eyes. It is recommended that you stop every 2 hours but this is not always possible. A wet face cloth is a must on a long journey. Each child can have his own rucksack with games and toys and his own sponge bag. Don't encourage a ball in the car, it can roll along the floor and get under the driver's feet. Don't stow luggage on the back window as it obscures driver vision and is very dangerous during a collision.