Author: Samantha Greathead
We are all master drivers, isn’t it? Yet every day, news headlines tell of injury, loss of life and carnage on our roads that, in many cases, could be avoided. The truth is, further training, beyond K53 training, can make the difference between life and death – which is where MasterDrive driver training comes in.
MasterDrive equips South African drivers with advanced driving skills to keep them, their passengers, vehicles and other motorists safe on the roads. When your passengers are your children, can this training be underestimated? The managing director of MasterDrive, Eugene Herbert, explains: “Defensive driving teaches drivers how to prevent a collision despite the incorrect actions of other road users in all weather, road and traffic conditions.
“With South Africa’s high road fatality rates, being prepared to respond to whatever scenario you encounter is essential to your children’s safety. You are also setting the example for the future drivers of South Africa, so be sure you set the best example,” says Herbert.
Safety in all areas
Another area of focus for MasterDrive, is helping drivers stay safe in the event of a hijacking. Herbert says when your children are in the car this is essential. “MasterDrive has a bespoke training programme that teaches parents how to pay attention to their surroundings and identify potentially dangerous situations.
“Should this not be enough, it also teaches parents how to safely extract everyone from the vehicle. We encourage parents to practice an extraction with their children so exiting a vehicle in a hijacking becomes part of their muscle memory. Decide on a keyword that will galvanise your children into action. Their objective should be to get to the driver as quickly as possible.”
Everyone should safely follow the adult out the same door. “Vacating the driver’s seat to unbuckle children from the back leaves too great an opportunity for the hijacker to slip into that seat and drive off before your children are safely out. Most importantly, do what the hijacker says and end the interaction as quickly as possible. Your child’s life is not worth the price of your car,” says Herbert.
MasterDrive has training facilities in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg, offering a variety of courses. Given the increase in the number of drivers on our roads, which often means a crash is always around the corner, master driver skills are no longer a luxury, but a must-have.
Contact MasterDrive for more details by calling 086 110 0618, emailing info@masterdrive.co.za or visiting www.masterdrive.co.za.
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