WEATHER GURU | Watch the weather for a safe Easter journey

Easter is the time of year for religious reflection and, for many of us, the opportunity to enjoy a long weekend away.

Unfortunately, it is also the time of the year that many people are faced with the tragedy of road accidents due to the extra traffic on the open road.

Many families will be making their way to holiday destinations and religious gatherings, while others will visit family and loved ones.

Naturally the extra road volumes lead to a lot of frustration and, coupled with haste to arrive at destinations as quickly as possible, increased risks.

Add to the fray adverse weather conditions, and the risks of travelling are compounded.

Autumn is the time of year with an increase in the number of days with fog.

This poses a high risk to motorists travelling in the morning, especially in coastal regions, valleys and on mountain passes.

The Outeniqua Pass, outside George, is a prime example of this, with numerous accidents happening every year because of the fog, which often reduces visibility to zero.

Fog on the mountains beyond the railway (Weather Guru )

I personally experienced this two years ago when I undertook a trip to the West Coast via Route 62 and George.

A lovely trip, but I cannot say that I saw much of the West Coast with the constant fog lasting till about lunchtime every day.

I last saw fog like that when I spent some time in Walvis Bay during my army days.

Locals are more accustomed to these conditions and drive with emergency lights on to be more visible.

For those not accustomed to this type of fog, suddenly being met by a wall of greyness can be very disorienting.

Reference points become a blur, and distances become almost impossible to judge.

Trying to stay in your lane, or even on the road, can become a nightmare, especially if road markings are faded.

Stopping or pulling off the road might not be the best option as the risk of being rear-ended by another vehicle is high.

Watching the forecast and delaying trips for later in the day is a better option.

Smoke from veld and forest fires has a similar effect, and the risks increase as we approach the dry season over the summer rainfall regions.

Another problem with driving in the early morning or late afternoon is facing the sun, due to its lower angle on the horizon during autumn through to spring.

I remember battling the morning commute down Buffelsfontein Road at this time of the year, having the sun directly in my eyes.

On a motorbike with no luxury of a sun visor it is no fun, believe me.

Add to that fogged-up visors or windows in cars and staying in bed until 10am seems the safest option.

With some rain forecast along the coast over the Easter weekend, extra caution should be taken.

Rain must surely be the leading cause of accidents as far as weather conditions are concerned.

'Watching the World Go By' artwork (Weather Guru )

One can see this by all the accident posts on social media every time it rains.

Heavy downpours reduce visibility, wet roads reduce traction and white lines become a nightmare, especially for motorcyclists.

I can fully attest to that, having experienced a mishap first hand.

As braking distances increase considerably, following distances should be increased proportionally.

This will assist in reducing the chances of sudden braking, which could send your vehicle aquaplaning/hydroplaning.

Reducing speed is the only wise option.

Video clips are posted regularly of vehicles being washed off low-water bridges by rapidly rising rivers, especially in the rural areas, often with tragic results.

Avoid crossing low-water bridges covered by water and when you cannot clearly see the road.

Because many families will be hauling a caravan or trailer to their destinations, extra care must be taken when travelling in areas with gusty winds, especially crosswinds.

The same applies to high-profile vehicles such as trucks and minibuses.

The high-risk areas are when crossing bridges, driving through mountain passes, ravines and passing tall buildings where the wind funnels through and is accelerated.

Any sudden gust can cause vehicles to swerve and often leads to unladen trailers flipping.

This often happens when passing oncoming large vehicles such as trucks and buses.

Always hold on tightly to your steering wheel during such events.

Pedestrians and cyclists should be especially aware of these trucks.

There have been far too many incidents in the metro with refuse and delivery trucks’ back doors swinging open while driving during windy conditions and striking a pedestrian or cyclist, sometimes with fatal consequences.

Besides the danger of being pushed off the road by a wind gust, one must be cautious of falling debris caused by the wind.

If you are travelling in areas such as Walmer and other parts of the metro, be extra aware of broken branches or even trees falling onto your vehicle. The consequences could be fatal.

Then, when the weather turns fine, sunny and warm, there is always an increase in pedestrian traffic in the form of joggers and cyclists.

Mrs Guru does her best impression of the Spook of Uniondale (Weather Guru )

Motorists must constantly be aware of them as they do not always abide by the rules of the road.

Above all, when on the open road, please drive with your lights on, even during the day, like motorcyclists do.

It’s more about being visible to other road users than being able to see better.

If you are traveling on the N9 highway between Uniondale and Willowmore, remember the Easter weekend is the time that the legendary Ghost of Uniondale is active, so take care of strange sights on that stretch of road.

This week in history:

1971: Flooding reported in large parts of the Nelson Mandela Bay metro

Dam levels

38.73%, down from the previous week’s 39.53%

Impofu slightly down to 38.34%

Weather safety tips:

When enjoying the holiday time and having a braai, please remember that under dry conditions outdoor fires must never be left unattended and should be completely extinguished after your braai.

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