KNOW-HOW
Collisioncourse Traffic accidents occur daily and there is a possibility that you’ll be involved in at least one in your lifetime. Regardless of the severity, keeping your wits about you is key. Follow these steps to ensure that dealing with the aftermath is a lot less painful. Stay alert
Accident emergency kit
As fatigue can cause loss of concentration, it makes sense to rest at least 15 minutes every two hours.
Always have your cell phone with local law enforcement numbers programmed in it. If your phone doesn't have a built-in camera, keep a disposable camera in the kit. Other items you should include are: a pen and paper to write down important details, insurance information, medical information (including conditions and allergies), and a warning triangle to alert oncoming traffic.
01 02 03 04 05 06 Stop
Check for injuries
Call the police
Exchange info
Document damage
Contact your insurance
Regardless of whether you caused the accident or are a victim, stop immediately.
After bringing the vehicle to a standstill, check yourself, your passengers, and the individual(s) in the other vehicle for injuries. If there are injuries that need medical attention, call an ambulance.
If the accident is of a serious nature, the authorities need to be notified. Severe accidents often require police involvement, for instance if it’s backing up traffic or if debris is blocking the lane. Minor fender benders, on the other hand, don't necessarily require their services.
Regardless of who is at fault, it’s necessary to exchange information. You need to provide and obtain the following: your name, phone number, address, licence plate number, and your driver's licence number. Insurance companies require this information in order to resolve the incident.
If you have a camera on hand, take pictures of the damage. If not, write down details about the damage and ensure that all parties involved sign it. Be sure to head down to the nearest police station to complete an affidavit. This needs to happen within 24 hours, as your insurance company will require the latter before processing the claim.
Immediately after the accident, contact your insurance provider about the accident. They will ask you to provide all the relevant details in order to process the claim.
Trails and tips
GLEN OAKS 4X4 TRAIL
Located approximately 17 kilometres outside Caledon, the 8-kilometre long Glen Oaks trail is known for its beautiful scenery and natural obstacles.
tips
A five-kilometre route through fynbos offers an easy ride, while the obstacles, colour-coded according to difficulty, will get the adrenaline pumping and allow you to demonstrate your skills.
In the bush
Driving on sand
If you’re unsure of the ground ahead, especially if there is mud or water, get out and check.
Lower the tyre pressure to 140kpa/20psi. Remember to reinflate your tyres as soon as you’re back on hard ground.
On steep hills With a difficulty grading of 3.5, based on your experience, the Glen Oaks trail can take anywhere between three to seven hours to complete.
If the vehicle begins to slide sideways very slight acceleration and steering into the slide will normally straighten your descent.
Water crossings Do not disengage the clutch or change gears while crossing waterways.
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