Motoring
By Charl Bosch
As has been the case for a number of years, the annual Easter weekend, which kicks-off this coming Friday (7 April) and runs until Monday (10 April), will see road volumes on the country’s highways and byways increase as many South Africans head towards their holiday destinations or visit family in other provinces.
In recent years, only second after the December holidays in road fatalities, 2021 saw 235 motorists lose their lives during the Easter weekend.
Unsurprisingly, the N1 between Gauteng and Limpopo will attract the biggest attention as thousands of pilgrims head towards Moria for the Zion Christian Church’s celebration of Easter.
The second road of interest will be the N3 from Gauteng to KwaZulu-Natal, followed by the N2 from the Eastern Cape along the Garden Route to the Western Cape, the N14 between Gauteng and North West and the N12 that runs from Gauteng to Mpumalanga.
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Before the festivities commence though, those travelling by road need to take stock of their vehicles and the road they will be travelling on, something Sumimoto Rubber South Africa, the importers for Sumimoto, Dunlop and Falken tyres, has already taken care off by advising the following:
Make sure your tread depths and tyre pressures are correct, and that the condition of the spare wheel is good in the case of it requiring usage.
Take note of whether an emergency toolkit with a wheel spanner, jack and triangle is present in the boot of your vehicle, and if the tyres on your vehicle are devoid of bulges or visible signs of damage.
Rotate your tyres frequently in order to avoid an uneven ware rate, and check that they are regularly inflated as this improves grip, aids fuel consumption and betters handling.
Besides paying careful attention to the tyres’ age of not much than five years, make sure you have taken-out insurance that could prove invaluable should you be the victim of potholes or poor road surfaces.
In addition to tyres, motorists should also take apply the following:
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