South African Road Deaths

Hi There!

I have decided that I cannot sit back and accept the fact that generally speaking, South Africa has some of the highest road death statistics in the world (as far as I can deduce.) I realise that many of these deaths are the result of pedestrians wandering into the road. However, many deaths can be attributed to poor driving habits and a lack of road awareness. In other words neglecting to think ahead and driving without courtesy to other road users.
I have drawn up a list of points that I would like to share with student drivers - no matter what age, colour or creed.
I propose to approach schools to speak to students who are in the process of learning to drive and to approach driving schools who are training people of all age groups.
What I propose is not a driver training course but a driver awareness talk and discussion.
I have 30 years of driving experience in South Africa as well as limited experience driving in the UK and Germany.
It is with this combined experience that I would like to impart to students the know-how to arm them with good driving habits and a courteous, sensible driving style.
"Project Freeway" is designed to do just that ..... to educate and encourage new drivers to free up the highways by driving sensibly. There is a lot of arrogance and road rage openly displayed by South African drivers and I would like to chat to students and discuss the dangers of this and how to develop a safe system so that it becomes habit for all new drivers to use indicators, mirrors and good road sense in a courteous manner thus reducing stress and anger and freeing our roads of the craziness that is so prevalent these days.
We have some of the finest roads in the world and comparitively few drivers on them - compared to Europe and America - yet we don`t seem to appreciate that and the results are often deadly.

I propose to talk to groups of students in a school classroom environment at the various learning institutions in the Helderberg Basin. I would ask to be able to organise this as an after school activity. I expect 1 hour would be enough time for me to give a short talk and open a discussion. I will be interested to hear from students their views on driving habits that they may or may not be happy with. It might be the way a parent or friend drives. By opening discussion I feel that some very valid points can be raised.
I have no formal training as a driving instructor and once again reiterate that I am doing this only as a concerned resident of South Africa and someone who believes that positive change can happen. Even if only one student learns something, absorbs the information provided and encourages a friend to do the same, I will have achieved something positive.
I propose to supply a "Project Freeway" bumper sticker so that students who have been to a talk can identify with others on the roads and encourage one another to spread the word.

If anyone reading this is interested and would like me to talk to student drivers at their learning institution, please contact me to discuss this further.

I welcome any input and criticism.

Kind regards

Simon J Tatt
Somerset West
email: simontatt@yahoo.com

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