Roadside Fires & Other Visibility Hazards: Tips to Keep You Safe

Roadside fires, mist, fog and other phenomena can severely hamper motorists’ visibility. This in turn can result in severe road accidents with several vehicles involved.

Uncontrolled roadside fires are very often caused through motorists throwing their cigarettes out of their vehicles. The winter months are especially dry and we therefore urge smokers to use the ashtrays in their vehicles, and not to throw cigarettes out of their vehicles.

The first and most basic rule for smoke from a roadside fire, as well as for mist, fog, or whatever is causing poor or minimal visibility, is not to drive into it unless you can see out the other side or through it. This can also apply as a rule to very heavy belts of rain, hail or even snow as well.

Motorists should stop in the emergency lane at least 100 metres away from the scene and make a thorough assessment of the risk involved. Your headlights should be turned on to help others to see you and you can also turn on your hazard lights although one is not supposed to drive with the hazard lights flashing. However, it is now common practice in emergency conditions.

Ideally you should wait for the emergency services to arrive at the scene and for them to give the go-ahead before you proceed. The inconvenience of a short delay is better than losing your life or the lives of your passengers, being serious injured or having no vehicle at all because it is in the panel beaters for repairs. Alternatively, if the smoke is lifting, form an organised convoy with other motorists, and proceed slowly at 20 to 30 km/ph, following a leading vehicle. If you are unsure whether the situation is sufficiently safe to yourself and other road users, you should phone for assistance and wait it out. Use the cell phone providers’ number, 112 for all providers, the Road Traffic Inspectorate’s toll free number, 0800 33 99 11 or Mpimpa, 086 221 1010 to report smoke and other hazards.

So many of these accidents (such as those indicated above) are avoidable if we all took a little more care, slowed down and gave some thought about what we are about to do.

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