Road Safety efforts are usually focused mainly on travelling by car, cycling and pedestrian safety. On the Arrive Alive website we also focus on sharing the roads with trucks and buses, motorbike safety and quad bike safety – we have even provided information on golf cart safety!
We will however not be an effective information portal on road safety if we neglect to give attention to the very important aspect of 4×4 or “Four Wheel Driving”. In recent years we have seen a sharp increase in the sales of 4×4 vehicles. There has been increased participation in off-road recreation – but not much additional initiatives to create awareness of 4×4 safety.
It is however not only the 4×4 enthusiast that needs to be alerted to safe driving aspects. The ordinary worker at a NGO or aid worker has become used to driving with 4×4 vehicles in remote areas and risk their lives on bad roads, bad weather – constantly under threat of getting stuck or causing an accident!
4×4 Driving requires different skills from driving a conventional two wheel drive car. It is of the utmost importance to create awareness and provide relevant information to ensure that those who use 4×4 vehicles off road in the course of their normal work can do so effectively and safely!
The Arrive Alive website is fortunate to partner with an expert consultant in the world of 4×4. Andre Botha, a member of the South African National Off-Road Trainers Association [SONOTA] has agreed to assist in making available 4×4 safety materials on the Arrive Alive website.
Andre started his career as a professional soldier in the Parachute Batallion of the South African Defence Force, where he chased his adventurous dreams. In 1995 he undertook his first off road expedition in the Skeleton Coast and Namib Desert areas of Namibia. Soon thereafter he entered the 4×4 Driver Training arena. He has since established Just 4×4 Adventures and the Riverbank Off- Road Academy. We are pleased to welcome Andre as an expert to provide our visitors with insight on how to enhance safe 4×4 driving.
We will strive to provide on the Arrive Alive website the important aspects pertaining to 4×4 driving. From the feedback by visitors we will be able to provide additional commentary and discussion on the road safety blog.
We would like to invite visitors to view the following sections: