Press Releases
The Automobile Association (AA) advocates for consumer rights. It also provides useful information to consumers on all aspects of mobility and road use. Read our articles below for more information.
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See and be seen! Daytime running lamps
Visibility is key to reaction time; it is critical to see and be seen. That’s why daytime running lamps are a compulsory standard of so many European countries, and not reliant on a driver’s judgement on when to switch on headlamps in varying light conditions. Daytime running lamps are not compulsory in South Africa. Regulation 161 A (1) states that they may be fitted to any motor vehicle except...
Exhaust smoke – an engine’s distress signal
Diesel or petrol engine exhaust gases should be colorless. Any smoke colour emanating from an exhaust signals that it is not running properly, or even close to mechanical failure. What do exhaust smoke emissions really mean? Black smoke is a sign of engine over-fueling. This can be a malfunctioning injector, a restricted air supply or clogged intercooler. For a sound technical reason, excess...
Change of behaviour needed to curb shocking annual fatality numbers
Since the start of December, road crashes around the country have claimed the lives of many people, including ten people who died when the taxi they were travelling in collided with cows in Mbombela last Friday. The current situation, is untenable, and it urges all motorists to change their behaviour ahead of the expected festive season traffic rush. Every day seems to bring another story of a...
Weather and holidays impact fleet safety
It is that time of the year when road traffic deaths are measured and compared to previous years over the December festive season. However, the annual road traffic crash statistics set an alarming background that cannot be ignored – that latest figures at hand from a 2015 CSIR report indicate that over 1,7 million South Africans are involved in more than 832 thousand road traffic crashes (RTC)...
Motorists says get bad cars off the road and punish offenders
Almost 80 percent of motorists believe removing unroadworthy vehicles from South African roads will make roads safer. And, 58% of respondents of the Safer Roads in SA’ survey, say harsher punishments for all road offenders will also reduce fatality statistics. There are too many unsafe cars on our roads, and these lead to many crashes, some of them fatal. As motorists we need to ensure our...
Rand stronger, oil up at mid-month
Slight decreases in the fuel price are being predicted on mixed news from the currency markets and international oil trade. This is according to the Automobile Association (AA), commenting on unaudited mid-month fuel price data released by the Central Energy Fund (CEF). The Rand gained ground against the US dollar since the beginning of December, notwithstanding political turbulence in the...
Safety features still lacking on entry-level vehicles
The Automobile Association (AA) today released its second annual Entry-Level Vehicle Safety Report that assess the safety features on entry-level vehicles. The report considered the safety features of 25 vehicles available in South Africa currently priced under R160 000. This is R10 000 (6.7%) more than the vehicles considered last year to account for an increase in inflation. According to...
Mixed picture as fuel set to rise
Across-the-board losses from the exchange rate are set to hit fuel consumers at the end of October The landed price of petrol actually dropped by around 18 cents a litre in October, while the landed price of diesel showed a slight increase of five cents. But, the Rand slipped around 22 cents to the US dollar, meaning all grades of fuel will be more expensive in November. Petrol will rise a...
Ready for the holiday season?
October is a pivotal point of the year for many establishments. Make sure you are ready to cope with the rush as the year hurdles to a close by using our tips to get started early on your countdown. Remember that guests need to be able to find you so fine-tune the directions to your establishment. Get the festive feeling started by being well organised about staff leave and overtime. And when...
5 ways to get ready for the big time
Accommodation and other travel establishments are split between two different seasons of travel among visitors. For those whose businesses turn quiet in December, there is often a flurry ahead of this time as business travelers and conferences squeeze in meetings and events in the final weeks before the schools break up. This often applies particularly to inland areas, especially Gauteng....
On a road to nowhere?
Do you know how a stranger rates the directions you give to your establishment? Would-be visitors can go away from your site for all kinds of reasons, including that they couldn’t make your directions work, simply gave up, and went elsewhere. Make sure your guests find you easily and arrive relaxed and cheerful. This gives you a head start on marketing your establishment as a great place. Some...
Q&A: Getting staffing right
As we approach the year end, there will be times when staff want to take leave, and also when establishments need as many hands as possible available to deliver service to be proud of. Avoid staffing crises and legal confrontations by making sure you, your managers, and staff are aware of how labour law affects what you can expect in terms of requesting, or refusing, leave and overtime....
