Robbery Alert

A new strategy has been used by robbers to attack motorists in Kenya. The robbers create a fake 'accident' scene by stalling a vehicle at a narrow section of the road. Another car is placed strategically on the opposite direction to make it appear as if the owner is offering help to the driver of the stalled car. As other motorists drive up to the point, the robbers strike. This has been reported in Nakuru, Nairobi and Nyahururu. If you come upon such a a scene, try to reverse and get away. Report to the nearest police station.

Glen Edmunds Safe Driving Tip

Riding the clutch is dangerous! We see this with many of our students at our driving school. Drivers tend to rest their foot on the clutch pedal, instead of off to the side. This is a very bad habit, as it allows the thrust bearing to spin continuously, and can lead to premature failure of the bearing. This of course will result in clutch failure.

The thrust bearing is only designed to run for a few seconds at a time when you are engaging gears. Keep your foot off the clutch while driving and instead place it on the foot rest or the floor until you need it.

Watch your tyres!

There has been a spate of tyres being stolen from residential compounds in the Karen area. It is important to note that these vehicles did not have car alarms or wheel locks. Please notify your askaris so that they are aware of this.

The last 10 days there have been reports in the Karen/Langata area of residents being following into their drive ways on their way home from work in the afternoons. They are in a non-marked car (usually white) and claim to be from the city council. They demand money from you saying that you haven't paid this bill or that. And if you don't pay them on the spot, they will take you to the police, etc. The best way to avoid this type of incident is to make sure you aren't being followed into your compound. Keep a close eye in your rear view mirror to make sure someone isn't following you. If you slow down do they slow down? If you speed up, do they speed up? If you think you are being followed, do not go home! Call your local security company or the Police Hotline (020 - 240 000) and inform them of your situation. Alternatively you can drive to the nearest police station or parked security vehicle. Just as a regular precaution, you can also phone your askari in advance and tell them that you are on your way home and to make sure he opens and closes the gate quickly behind you and to not let any other vehicles come in behind you.

Road Safety Campaign

Glen Edmunds Performance Driving School has partnered with their sponsor Monroe Shock Absorbers in a safe driving campaign for East Africa. Monroe is promoting safe driving by encouraging motorists to fit their cars with the recommended car suspension system and Glen Edmunds Performance Driving School is promoting safe driving through the multiple courses that the offer such as defensive driving, security driving, 4WD training and much more. The complete article can be read in the East Africa Standard on page 13.

Not Wearing a Seat Belt Contributed to Princess Diana's Death

photo from BBC
The BBC reports the following: "The inquest found Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed were unlawfully killed due to the "gross negligence" of driver Henri Paul and the paparazzi." Reports also state that Princess Diana was not wearing a seatbelt and this also contributed to her demise.

Princess Diana is a prime example of what can happen when you are not wearing a seatbelt. Yes, the accident still would have happened, but would she still be alive if she was wearing her seat belt? Possibly so. Failure to wear a seat belt contributes to more fatalities than any other single traffic safety-related behavior. 63% of people killed in accidents are not wearing seat belts. Wearing a seat belt is still the single most effective thing we can do to save lives and reduce injuries.

We all know about the dangers of not wearing a seat belt. Yet, many people still don't wear one.

Many people have a lot of excuses for not buckling up. Some say that they don't bother with seat belts when not going far. However, did you know that 80% of traffic fatalities occur within 25 miles of home and under 40mph?

Many people say, “I have air bags all around my car. Why do I need a seat belt?”

Air bags cushion impact. It’s better to strike the deflating air bag than the immovable dashboard. However, a seat belt protects you from the air bag.

Airbags explode in front of you at 200mph.

An airbag deploys so fast that it seems to inflate and deflate before the explosive sound is over. When you move abruptly forward in a car accident, the safety seat belt stops you quickly as the air bag approaches your chest. Even with the seat belt on you may feel like someone punched you hard in the sternum a day or two after the accident. However, without the seat belt on, you risk serious injury from the air bag alone.

Some people say they can't be bothered to take the time to put on a seat belt. It takes 3 seconds to buckle up. Dead is Forever.

Wear a seat belt to significantly increase the chance of surviving a car accident.

Bump & Run Carjacking Technique

This is a reminder of one of the oldest scams in Kenya, that people often forget about. The common practice is for someone to gently bump you in the rear bumper. The normal reaction is to get out of your vehicle, leave the keys in the ignition and walk to the back of your vehicle to check for damage. As soon as you are pre-occupied at the back, someone jumps in your car and drives away. The best thing to do is to stay in your vehicle and keep your doors locked and your windows up. Phone the police hot line or your local security company and ask them to dispatch someone to the scene. Or drive to your nearest police station.

UN Report On International Road Safety

UN Secretary-General issues his first report on international road safety

UN Photo/Mark Garten

The UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, has published his first report to the UN General Assembly on progress in international road safety. The Report calls upon Member States to continue using the WHO-World Bank World report on road traffic injury prevention as a framework for road safety efforts, and to pay particular attention to the risk factors mentioned in this report. It also calls on Member States to be cognisant of the safety needs of vulnerable road users, for example through improvements for public transport and separate road space for pedestrians and cyclists. In his report the UN Secretary-General calls for a ministerial conference on road safety to be held under the auspices of the UN in the near future and also stresses the need for an appropriate global tool to monitor progress.

The report summarizes achievements from the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration, a network of more than 40 agencies facilitated by the World Health Organization. Among the major recent achievements highlighted is the First UN Global Road Safety Week held in April 2007 and celebrated through hundreds of national events focussed on youth and road safety as well as World Youth Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. The Report also draws attention to a series of good practice manuals developed by partners from the UN Road Safety Collaboration and aimed at addressing some of the key risk factors for road traffic injuries - drink driving, seat-belts, helmets, speed, visibility, etc.