Wheel Well & Bridgestone Tyres visited Kaalfontein High School to give a talk on road safety. Wheel Well, in partnership with Bridgestone Tyres, are dedicated to creating safer roads in South Africa, especially for children and young adults. Globally, road-related injuries and fatalities are the leading cause of death for people aged 5-29 years. Of this number, 90% of these deaths occur in developing countries such as South Africa.
The goal of the presentation was to prepare students entering legal driving age for life on South African roads. The talk aimed to equip students with practical road safety advice to ease their transition into a population of over 11 million licensed drivers.
Wheel Well gave the learners a talk on how to conduct an in depth pre-trip vehicle inspection, while also highlighting some general safety advice when operating a vehicle. Bridgestone Tyres, an official partner of the initiative, provided their expertise with a valuable tyre changing demonstration. Bridgestone also provided an additional spotlight on the importance of tyre maintenance and care.
The talk focused on highlighting behaviours, habits and knowledge that all drivers should be aware of to ensure a safer journey, including:
1. Impact of Road Safety on Young People – exploring the factors that put young people at risk on the roads more than any other age demographic
2. The Importance of Vehicle Inspection & Maintenance – providing learners with reasons why vehicle inspection and maintenance helps to keep them safe
3. Pre-Trip Vehicle Inspection – this section highlights all the areas of a vehicle that should be checked prior to embarking on a journey. This is aimed at both drivers and passengers with the context extending to public transport as well.
4. Tyre Care Spotlight & Tyre Change Demonstration – students are shown how to change a tyre. In addition, they are taught about how to inspect tyres for damage, what tyre markings mean and how to care for their tyres in general.
“The Vision of this talk is to equip young and new drivers with good information on basic vehicle scrutiny and tyre care,” said Wheel Well founder, Peggy Mars. “Thank you to the heart and soul behind this project – our sponsor, Bridgestone. Your support not only made this project possible but also reflects your genuine concern for promoting road safety in our community.
Your partnership is a shining example of how corporate responsibility can have a positive impact on our society. We look forward to doing many more school talks with your support.”
We are proud to support Wheel Well in their mission to educate young drivers and scholars about road safety said Wholesale Operations Manager, Chantel Baxter. At Bridgestone Southern Africa, we believe in the power of knowledge and preparation to make our roads safer for everyone. Teaching students about vehicle inspection, maintenance, and specifically tyre care is a crucial step towards reducing road accidents. We are committed to continuing our partnership with Wheel Well to promote road safety in our community and beyond.