A relatively new and unfriendly face on the highways of South Africa is the pothole, a hazard that has been a consistent feature of inner-city roads and suburban streets for years, but rarely on the nation’s freeways.
“South Africa is second best on the continent and 29th in the world for its highway system,” according to Eugene Herbert, CEO of advanced driving company MasterDrive.
“For many years we held the reputation for one of the best road networks worldwide, but now some drivers may question this as they swerve around potholes on the highway – a place they were seldom seen before.”
Poor upkeep and negligence of the national road system have led to these imperfections starting to appear on routes that were, historically, in generally good condition, making the already-dangerous roads even more so.
Motorists must now be weary of potholes on every road they drive or risk falling victim to avoidable damages.
Avoiding the highway pothole
Suddenly hitting a pothole at high speeds can cause extensive harm to a vehicle as well as be jarring to the driver.
“The damage to your vehicle, yourself, passengers, and others around if you hit a pothole at 120km/h or faster is a frightening thought,” said Herbert.
An immediate change in driving behaviour is therefore the best way to steer clear of such an incident, with the practices being useful on highways, metropolitan, suburban, or any roads where potholes are frequent threats.
“Adequate following distances is the most important advice on highways with potholes,” said Herbert. “Drivers should actually increase their following distance from three to four seconds to up to six seconds, particularly if you know the road is problematic or do not drive on it often.”
These following distances give the driver more opportunities to spot a pothole in advance and take action accordingly.
“Combine this with driving looking 12 seconds ahead to be best prepared for highway potholes,” he said.
Another precaution is to keep an eye on the actions of the cars ahead. If everyone moves out of the way at a certain point, it may be the first clue of a pothole obstructing the road.
“Additionally, do not just watch your lane but those adjacent to you as well. If drivers in these lanes are forced to swerve into your lane or do so without looking, you need to be ready,” said Herbert.
Fast and reckless driving is also especially dangerous on a highway with potholes.
“Driving too close to the vehicle ahead, swerving between lanes, and focusing on intimidating other drivers rather than the road exposes you to more risk,” said Herbert.
“It removes opportunities to see potholes before they are a danger and gives you little to no time to react while you are likely driving faster than you should for conditions.”
While complaining about the state of the country’s roads is definitely justifiable, following these guidelines could go a long way in avoiding a nasty surprise on your next highway commute.
Keyword: Highway potholes – The next pandemic in South Africa