Safety first

As trucks take to the roads on long-haul journeys of delivery over the festive season the question arises. How safe are these journeys? According to Michelin Tyres, a recent study indicates that in excess of 60% of trucks in South Africa are not roadworthy – a figure that should provide a serious wake-up call to every truck owner in the country.

Not only are trucks poorly maintained, drivers are often incentivised to arrive at destinations earlier than scheduled. This results in them skipping the necessary rest breaks and driving faster to make up time. In fact, it is not uncommon for drivers to work a straight 24-hour shift – with predictable consequences.

In order to address these problems, new laws are being promulgated which hold the consignor, the consignee and the transporter liable for accidents
Jaco Venter, partnership programme manager at Michelin Tyre Company SA, advises truck owners to ensure that:
• Every driver’s licence is checked for validity
• Drivers have regular eye tests, blood sugar and blood pressure tests as well as TB tests
• RTMS accreditation is obtained and the COF (Certificate of Fitness) and PDP (Professional Driver’s Permit) are renewed annually.
• Tyres and brakes are regularly checked and maintained.

With the Festive Season upon us and the prospect of busy roads and high traffic volumes, it is important to always put safety first.