Individuals or parents with new drivers that successfully passed their learner’s or driving license tests this year, may be considering taking on the roads to holiday destinations or on their trips to spend the festive season with family. Those seasoned in road safety may consider this a recipe for disaster when combining high crash and fatality rates during this period with inexperienced drivers.
Deciding whether to give new drivers some time and experience behind the wheel on a long-distance trip depends on various factors. The CEO of MasterDrive, Eugene Herbert, explains further: “The answer is to be selective when deciding. Gaining experience on a trip like that can be invaluable in creating a confident and safe driver, however, putting your learner behind the wheel on Van Reenan’s pass, which is notorious during the festive season, is unwise at best.
“Use your discretion to decide whether a new driver has enough skills and experience to manage a driving situation that might be more challenging that what they are accustomed to. While gaining this experience under your watchful eye is preferable to them driving these routes in the near future with equally inexperienced passengers, be cognisant that certain situations are simply too dangerous for new drivers.”
As a co-driver, your role is not just to select the music. “You need to be watching the road in the same way you would if you were driving. A new driver is unlikely to see the reckless driver or jaywalker as quickly as you and your role is to help them develop this skill.
“When you select a portion of the trip for a new driver to take the wheel, it is not to take a rest from driving but to create a learning experience. Help them develop the ‘muscle memory’ you already have from years of driving so you can let them drive alone in 2023 with a great deal more confidence than if you never had this opportunity to share your skills.”
Additionally, MasterDrive strongly advises against new drivers taking long-distance trips for the first time with only friends for guidance. “New drivers simply lack the situational awareness experienced drivers have. Studies show experienced drivers are capable of perceiving and recognising potential hazards much faster than inexperienced drivers – a few minutes delay that can have tragic consequences.
“Young drivers are also at higher risk with friends in the car. A study by the AAA foundation for Traffic Safety says a teen driver’s risk of death increases by 44% every 1,6km with one teen passenger and quadruples if there are three. The risk is simply too high and there are many safer alternatives.”
South African roads are notoriously dangerous over the festive season. “Be discerning when deciding to let a new driver take the wheel and more importantly, provide the experience they may not necessarily have just yet,” says Herbert.
Roads with high accident rates
- Mbizana on the R61 in the Eastern Cape
- Mount Alyliff on the N2 in the Eastern Cape
- Mankweng on R71 in Limpopo
- Musina on the N1 in Limpopo
- Harrismith on the N3 in the Free State
- Middleburg on the N4 in Mpumalanga
- KwaMhlanga on the R573 in Mpumalanga
- Potchefstroom on the N12 in North West
- Nongoma on the R66 in KwaZulu Natal