Be Safe this Holiday Season
Beach Safety:
Many people will be heading to the beach during the holidays and it’s easy to
get excited and forget about safety. If you’re planning a trip to the beach this
holiday, go through some water safety tips with everyone in your family and make
sure they stick to them. Use the following guide as a start to your holiday on
the beach this season:
Drowning is a leading cause of accidental death among children in South Africa.
How can you prevent drowning?
- Knowing how to swim is an important skill that everyone should have.
Find out from your local council if there are services offering free
swimming lessons.
- Swim with a buddy - Swim with someone who is a good swimmer.
- Never go into deep water unless you are an experienced swimmer.
- Swim where lifeguards are on duty just in case anything happens.
- Bathers are urged to swim within designated bathing areas, marked with
red and yellow flagged beacons. Swimming hours are from 06h00 to 18h30 and
swimming at night is dangerous as there are no lifeguards on duty then.
- Swim or take part in water sports when you are alert, never when you’re
sleepy or have used drugs or alcohol.
- Keep a look out for your friends - If you’re a good swimmer but your
friends aren’t, make sure they know their limits, and keep an eye on them in
the water.
- Don’t drink & swim – drinking alcohol (or using drugs) dramatically
increases the risk of injury – especially when diving.
- If a large wave approaches you and there is not enough time to get away
from it, try to dive underneath the wave. Keep your body as low as possible
until the wave passes over you.
- Never leave a young child unattended near water and do not trust a
child’s life to another child; teach children to always ask permission to go
near water.
- If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in
preventing death or disability.
- Steer clear of animal life like jellyfish and stingrays.
- Be wise and remember, Water is dangerous – even if you know how to swim.
Road Safety:
If you are traveling during this Festive Season, the following tips from
Government’s Alive Arrive programme may come in handy:
- Plan the route to your holiday destination and allow yourself
enough time to reach the destination
- Make sure that your vehicle is in a roadworthy condition before
departure. All lights and indicators, windscreens, windscreen wipers,
brakes, steering, shock absorbers, exhaust system and tyres should be carefully examined for faults.
- Do not overload.
- Try to avoid driving after dark if possible.
- Have a good rest before you embark on your journey.
- Take safety breaks every 2 hours or 200km. Rest, have a rested.
- Do not drink and drive.
- Try to recognize potentially dangerous drivers on and pedestrians
alongside the road and keep well clear of them.
- Be visible – drive with your lights on.
- Headlights should be dipped well before an approaching vehicle is within
range of the main beam.
- Always wear your seat belt and see that everyone in the car is wearing
theirs.
- Drive defensively.
- Stay within the speed limit at all times.
- Only overtake when it is absolutely safe to do so
- Maintain at least a 2 second following distance - this distance should
be increased at night, in foggy or rainy conditions and when the road is
wet.
- Expect others not to be as obedient to the law as yourself.
- Avoid distractions on the road such as texting, conversations on
cellular phones.
- Be courteous towards fellow road users - keep your temper and resist the
temptation to retaliate – road rage is dangerous.
- Know your emergency numbers - When you need assistance, kindly call the
following numbers:
- Ambulance (KZN Emergency Services) – 10117; Police – 10111; Fire Department –
10111; Arrive Alive Call Centre - 0861 400 800.
The material on this website may be copied for non-commercial use as long as our copyright notice and website address are included.
Copyright © KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health, 2001
|
Disclaimer