This is guest blog post done by FlightSite

Road safety during the World Cup in South Africa

South Africa boasts an excellent road infrastructure; therefore driving through the country can be a very rewarding experience.  South Africa is a beautiful place, and preparations are underway for the most exciting event of the decade to be staged in the country – the Football World Cup.

South Africa is a great country to drive through thanks to its beautiful setting and friendly locals. But the country is huge, and not at all possible to be traversed in one day. In order to really enjoy a self drive experience in South Africa during the World Cup, you need to plan carefully before departure. If you are driving from one city to the next, make sure you break during your journey as fatigue is a main factor contributing to motor vehicle accidents in South Africa.

While most of the national roads in South Africa are well tarred and in a good condition, the more rural roads are not in the same condition, and are most likely pot-holed and poorly surfaced. But as long as you take normal, common sense precautions, your trip to South Africa during the World Cup should be a memorable one.

Planning your journey

Before you start your journey, take time to plan your route and prepare your vehicle. Study your maps and routes, as well as your estimated times and the amount of petrol you will be using. Make sure you know the distances between rest stops and petrol stations before embarking on your journey. Make sure to take a 15 minute break after every two hours of driving and make sure you get enough sleep every night.

Distances between the cities where the different games are being played are quite far, therefore you need to be properly prepared. If possible, have more than one driver along on the journey so you can rotate.

Make sure to check the overall roadworthiness of the car before you leave. Make sure that your vehicle is in optimum condition. Check tire pressure, fluid levels, windscreen wipers and the lights of your vehicle. If you are using a rented vehicle, make sure you have the company’s contact details in case of an emergency. And always make sure that you have enough fuel to reach the next petrol station.

South African roads

The highways, freeways and provincial main roads in South Africa are built and maintained to the highest possible standards. Together with excellent driving conditions, your self drive trip in South Africa is guaranteed to be a smooth and safe one. All South African national highways have petrol stations at reasonable distances between them. Most of these petrol stations have restaurants, restrooms and shops within them.

In total, the entire South African road network is 755,000 kilometres.

Many of the national highways between major centres are toll roads, so check the fees before you leave. These toll booths usually charge per vehicle, and can range from anything between ZAR2.50 to ZAR50.00.

There are few roads in South Africa where you would require a 4WD vehicle. But even in national parks and off the beaten track safari areas, driving conditions are generally very good.

Service/petrol stations

South Africa boasts a large network of petrol/service stations spread all over the country. Most of these toll gates are open until late at night, while others are open 24 hours a day. Most service stations along all national highways and main roads are fully equipped with rest rooms, restaurants, shops and repair shops. The great thing about these service stations is that they are conveniently dispersed along the highway in such a way that you can make scheduled stops every two to three hours. An important thing to remember is that even though service stations are prominent along the national highways, they are further apart in rural areas, so plan your journey carefully, especially for refuelling purposes.

Petrol stations in South Africa are not self-service. Smiling and friendly attendants will take care of your petrol needs, and will be happy to check tire pressure, wash windows, and check oil etc for a small tip of anything between ZAR3.00 and ZAR5.00.

Shell, Engen, Caltex, Total and BP are the most common fuel brands sold in South Africa. Although not accepted in the past, some petrol stations do now accept credit and debit cards as a form of payment. Check with your attendant before using their services. Regardless, most service stations have on-site ATMs in case you are short of cash.

Driving conditions during the World Cup, South Africa

Planning your journey means preparing for all sorts of road accidents or emergencies. As much as we hate to admit it, accidents can happen, and you need to be prepared. During the World Cup, South Africa expects a huge influx of visitors, so you need to be prepared for possible chaos on the roads, especially before and after games.

Know that emergency services will be out in full force during the World Cup in South Africa, and that help is just a phone call away. When in South Africa for the World Cup, keep your wits about you while on the road, plan properly, and have fun.

Author bio: Flightsite is an online travel portal offering the convenience of online booking. Cheap flights to South Africa, accommodation, car hire and packages for the World Cup in South Africa at Flightsite.