As the Easter weekend approaches, families all around South Africa are planning holiday trips to better and wetter parts of the country. A concern for authorities across the country is always that of Road Safety over the long weekend. South Africa has some of the worst Easter weekend road accident statistics in the world each year. This article takes a look at some useful road safety tips you can take in to make sure your journey is a safe one:

1. Plan your route

One of the first and simplest steps you can take in order for a safe journey is to plan your trip well. Road safety starts with staying on major roads and avoiding quiet areas where you might be vulnerable. Another useful road safety strategy is to tell a friend or family member who is not with you about your route and your trip. Update them regularly on your progress so that suspicion can be raised if they do not here from you as expected.

2. Buckle up!

By law, all passengers in the car are required to be strapped in at all times, regardless of whether you're sitting in the front or the back seat. The driver of the car is solely responsible for ensuring that everyone in the car is buckled up. If anything were to happen and one of the passengers is hurt because of not being strapped in, road safety rules state that the driver will be held accountable.

3. Drive cautiously and lawfully

This may seem silly, but make sure you drive carefully and abide to the rules of the road. Ensure that you, as a driver have your license on you at all times. Drive well within the speed limit and obey all road safety signs along the road. Finally, remember that although you're on holiday and want to have a good time, drinking and driving is strictly against the law and can seriously affect your driving, especially when driving long distances.

4. A few final basic road safety tips:

- Make sure that you plan your refueling stops well to avoid ending up on the side of the road waiting for breakdown assistance to arrive

- Keep an eye on the road a hundred yards ahead of you, this way you can spot animals and pedestrians and take action should they be in your line of driving.

- Do whatever you can to avoid stopping on the shoulder of a highway. If there is an off-ramp available, pull off there, otherwise, find a spot where you are well off the road. Road safety strategies do not stop once you have stopped your car. Being next to the road is a dangerous place to be and you should remain aware of what is going on around you.

- Make sure that you have pre-packed road safety equipment packed in your car in case of breakdown. Make sure that you have the necessary tools to change a tyre, a spare tyre, warning triangles, a cell phone and a torch in case you get stuck in the dark.

- Keep a list of numbers to call in case of emergency. Remember 10111!

These are just a few basic tips to ensure your safety on the road. These road safety tips can go a long way in ensuring that you arrive at your destination safely. Let's improve our countries road safety statistics in 2010 and show our 2010 w