Would you be able to drive on international roads?
Is an international driving license enough to prepare drivers for foreign roads? In New Zealand, even though tourist vehicles make up a small percentage of vehicles on the road, the percentage of crashes involving tourists is much higher. In the UK, the number of truck crashes involving foreign drivers, is eight times higher than the national average.
There are various reasons for this most of which are linked to a lack of familiarity with the roads. While it may seem simple enough to swap sides of the road, this can actually affect various road rules and road usage, especially with junctions which contain roundabouts.
It is for this reason that the UK will prosecute companies which did not train foreign drivers who caused a crash. Authorities recognise in-vehicle driver training as the most effective way to reduce incidents specifically for foreign drivers. It allows drivers to understand the different rules of the road and driving styles to expect.
According to the MD of MasterDrive, Eugene Herbert, studies also show cultural differences affect foreign drivers. “While courteous driving is expected in South Africa, it is not adhered to as strictly as what it is in the UK. Allowing someone to enter a highway is not ‘optional’ and a taxi stopping in front of another car is unheard of.”
Herbert provides some examples of skills foreign drivers can learn from a driver familiarisation course:
- Learn rules which are unique to South African roads
- Become accustomed to tricky road situations like roundabouts or complex intersections
- Reintroduce drivers to defensive driving
- Safety, not only learning to avoid a hijacking but also minimising risk of ‘smash and grab’
If you would like to find out more about driver familiarisation, give MasterDrive a call on 086 110 0618. They have a solution to help drivers who are new to the country navigate the roads with skill.