#BeRoadSafe by knowing the power is in your hands these holidays!

December is approaching faster than your odometer can handle. Motorists will be fast-forwarding to their holiday destinations. Road accidents are expected to accelerate unless we push the brakes and stop bad driving. 
 
Philip Kekana, the Puma Energy Road Safety Ambassador, started as a minibus taxi driver and knows the dangers of driving neglected vehicles first-hand. Phillip wants us all to rethink our driving style, if we all ride with others in mind, we could help to stop the holiday accidents that take thousands of lives during the festive season. 
 
Kekana believes “Cutting corners is not an option. If you have money to go on holiday, then you must service your vehicle before cruising because you could become the danger zone. All South Africans must be alert and do everything in their power to be road safety heroes these holidays. Even if your cash-strapped, your vehicle should be as safe as your baby’s car seat.” 
 
Phillip Kekana is activity encouraging South Africans to share their #BeRoadSafe SAFIES by showing motorists the dangers of driving on autopilot. Kekana is also working with road authorities and car manufacturers to educate motorists across Africa. Throughout the year this local legend has worked with Puma Energy to teach youngsters valuable road safety lessons. In these sessions, he reminds the students to teach their parents the dangers of distracted driving. Phillip Kekana also wants us to expose the dangers of texting and driving by turning selfish acts like selfies into SAFIES. 
 
By changing the way, you drive could ultimately determine whether the driver next to you will be alive to have a happy holiday or not. The power to reduce road fatalities is literally in our hands, every time we hold onto the steering wheel, we dictate our journey. Together, we can bring down the national pedestrian figures. If we manage to lower pedestrian incidents by as much as 20%, we can save up to 2700 lives during this holiday period. 
 
Who needs Marvel Comics when we can all be the superheroes of the road? We don’t need to start wearing capes of nobility, instead, it starts with our ability to recognise that we care for other people’s lives. This is the ultimate antidote to saving them from unwanted road disasters.
 
 Here are some #BeRoadSafe Tips to pass onto your family and friends: 

1.    Take a Break: stop every two hours, get some Vuma, then continue the journey.  
2.    Distracted Driving: remember that driving under the influence of your phone is not Ayoba. Your lack of concentration could cause an accident that you can’t take back.  
3.    Drive Smart: if the car in front is swaying, rather slow down than risk an accident. 
4.    Stay alert: distracted drivers are all around you, they could be eating on-the-go, instead of focusing on the road. Report bad driving. Drive for the people around you! 
5.    Stay Sober: Besties don’t let their friends drive drunk ever! Rather put the car keys away to live another day. 
 
The Power is yours, share the #BeRoadSafe tips to save lives! Own the SAFIE message. Live up to the cause. Share with selfie-obsessed snappers that need to be reminded to pay attention for the sake of other drivers. 
 
For more information about the #BeRoadSafe movement, please go here:
https://www.pumaenergy.com/en/sustainability/sustainability-stories/standing-up-for-safer-roads/
https://www.pumaenergy.com/en/sustainability/sustainability-stories/avoiding-needless-deaths-on-zambia-s-roads/
https://www.pumaenergy.com/en/sustainability/sustainability-stories/combining-road-safety-and-vaccinations-in-angola/

The meaning of a #BeRoadSafe Safie

*A SAFIE is a photo publicising an act of safety or showcasing areas of risk in a community so government and leading organisations can take action to make this site safe again. A #BeRoadSafe SAFIE helps young people to warn other pedestrians of dangers so they can take other routes. This social act of spreading SAFIES helps pedestrians and motorists to take the safest paths and roads. 
 

Puma Energy in South Africa: 

Puma Energy is a leading global energy business and supplies, stores and distributes petroleum products in 48 countries across six continents. Founded in 1997, Puma Energy has its headquarters in Singapore and Geneva and regional hubs in South Africa, Puerto Rico, Australia and Estonia, and employs over 8,000 people globally.
 
Puma Energy has a network of 100 storage terminals, more than 3,000 retail sites, and a presence at over 80 airports. Our mission is to help drive growth and prosperity by sustainably serving our customers’ needs in high potential countries around the world.
 
Key market statistics for South Africa:
·         Storage capacity: 49 000 m³
·         Retails sites: 165
·         Airports: 15
 
For further information visit: www.pumaenergy.com
 

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