Drive Safe and Save Money!

Do you consider yourself a good driver? You probably do, especially if you have a driving record free of accidents or traffic violations. But the fact is, no matter how good of a driver you are, you are not the only one on the road. Have a look around on your next drive. Aggression and impatience dominate on the South African roads, especially during peak traffic hours.

Arrive Alive offers the following chilling statistics:

·        Over 700 000 accidents occur on South African roads each year;

·        Of these accidents, 36 000 are serious and / or fatal;

·        12 000 fatalities occur annually as a result of road accidents in South Africa;

·        Annually, the total cost of road accidents to the South African economy is approximately R36 billion.

In light of the above statistics, it is time to start thinking and acting proactively before you become part of them. Of course, one should always start with the small things like buckling your seatbelt, driving according to the speed limit and stopping for stop signs. Statistics compiled by the Road Traffic Management Corporation show that 90% of all fatal accidents are caused by one or more driver committing a traffic violation.

So what can you do to further increase your chances of safety on the roads? A viable option is to take an Advanced Driving Course. There are many companies that offer these courses, such as:

·        The Killarney Advanced Driving Training Centre;

·        Mercedes-Benz AMG Dynamic Driving;

·        Adrenaline Driving Academy; and

·        Master Drive Defensive Driver Training.

These courses teach you much more than how to drive on a racetrack. They give you the confidence and ability to avoid unexpected incidents on the road. These courses often start out by teaching you how to control skids and demonstrate various accident avoidance techniques.

Your driving skills will also be enhanced by the high-speed driving part of the course. Instructors demonstrate the various techniques of cornering, braking, steering, acceleration and balance control and allow you to practice it for yourself. At the end of the course you will typically receive a certificate of attendance.

These courses allow you to have confidence, satisfaction and driving ability of a professional. Your life and the lives of your children or loved ones may very well be saved if you know how to handle tricky situations on the road.

So how could you maximise the benefits of being an advanced driver to save you money?

The first and most obvious point is that your claims for vehicle damage will decrease. Therefore, you stand a better chance of receiving money from your insurer as per the “cash back” policies many insurers offer. You will also save in excess costs this way.

In addition, many insurers, like Platinum Life, will offer a decrease on your monthly policy fees as your risks of dying in an accident drastically decrease. In fact, Platinum Life is so convinced of the efficacy of these Advanced Driving Courses that the randomly pick members every year to attend a course for free. They also offer all of their existing members a 10% discount on the course fees if they elect to go for the course themselves.

The course that Platinum Life supports is the Mercedes-Benz Dynamic Driving Course which, in addition to the above mentioned practical lessons, also offers a theoretical presentation that covers the following points:

·        Driver awareness and attitude;

·        The various forces acting on a vehicle;

·        The causes of skids and how to control them;

·        Different seating positions and steering techniques; and

·        Mercedes-Benz safety features.

The practical lessons are demonstrated using the powerful Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, but the concepts taught can be applied to any other passenger vehicle.

Be proactive. Never take your life and the lives of those whom you love lightly. You are in a position to protect them, as well as making a change on South African roads.