9 mistakes drivers make at this time of year in South Africa

It’s the middle of winter in South Africa, and there are several easy mistakes that motorists make that can damage their car or put them in a risky situation.

Parts of the country are currently experiencing high levels of rainfall and flooding, while other areas are facing temperatures that can dip below 0 degrees Celsius early in the mornings.

It’s therefore a good idea to adopt habits that will see you and your wheels through the next few months.

Better driving habits

According to MasterDrive, motorists can take nine steps to improve their driving in winter.

The first and most obvious step is to exercise more caution when temperatures drop below freezing or when it rains.

Drivers should increase their follow distance to allow for more reaction time, and avoid using cruise control when road conditions aren’t ideal.

Avoid pools of water, too, as it can be difficult to gauge how deep the water is. A small puddle may actually conceal a pothole, and it’s best not to take risks driving through water collecting in low points like under a bridge.

Another error motorists make is turning on their bright lights when driving through fog. This counterintuitively reduces visibility, as the mist reflects most of the light back at the user.

Relatedly, many South Africans have a bad habit of driving with their hazards on, thinking it will improve visibility.

However, hazards are only meant to highlight stationary cars and will confuse other road users if they are used all the time.

When driving, avoid sudden lane changes or erratic movements that other drivers will not have time to react to.

It’s also important to brake cautiously and to not leave it to the last minute, as conditions such as rain or ice will increase the car’s stopping distance.

Of course, it should go without saying that you shouldn’t speed in these conditions either, especially when going around corners, as this reduces reaction time and increases braking distance.

Since it’s winter, the sun sets much earlier than it does in summer, which means drivers need to change their habits and turn on their headlights sooner as well.

That being said, don’t leave on your high beams on as this will blind oncoming traffic, potentially leading to an accident.

Lastly, winter also means that the sun is lower in the sky, which can often mean driving into glare in the mornings and late afternoon.

MasterDrive recommends driving with polarized sunglasses or changing your route or departure times to avoid this issue.