INCREASING VISIBILITY TO CURB DEATHS ON OUR ROADS

Twenty-seven million people use our roads daily, with the majority including workers and students on their daily commute. Safety on our roads is a discussion all South Africans should be having. Poor road and public transport infrastructure, lack of road safety education and inadequate street lighting are among the causes of the accidents we see on our roads. An alarming report from UCT’s Centre for Transport studies reveals that 47 people are killed on our roads daily with that number climbing to 17 000 people annually. The report goes on to show that the main cause of child deaths in South Africa are a result of road accidents. We cannot simply ignore these statistics and must rally together to affect change and protect people on our roads.

For years, we have been a leading provider of quality, durable workwear, designed to keep people safe while hard at work. Our High Viz range of protective workwear has been used to combat lowlight conditions in a range of environments. Aware that poor visibility on the roads increases the number of accidents, together with The Jonsson Foundation we are embarking on an initiative to protect all road users by increasing their visibility thereby reducing the risks of road accidents.

The VIZI Belt initiative will see us give away 3 million free high visibility belts over the next three years. Working towards keeping vulnerable pedestrians and motorists safe, and prevent tragedies on our roads.

The neon orange high visibility belts are made from a high quality 50mm wide tape that allow wearers to be visible during the day. The reflective silver strip on the belt helps to increase visibility in low light conditions. These belts are made available, free of charge at any of the Jonsson Workwear stores nationwide.

We encourage other organisations to get involved and do their bit to protect people on our roads. Information on bulk distribution to outlying areas can be found on our website at jonssonworkwear.com/vizi-belt

The Jonsson VIZI Belts are fit for any pedestrian activity, whether commuting to school and work, walking a dog, crossing the street, or heading out for a jog. The belts’ versatility has made them adaptable to be worn around the waist, over the shoulder or tied onto a bag.

To elaborate on our safety movement, CEO & Executive Chairman, Nick Jonsson said, “Our road stats are a sombre reminder for all of us to continuously advocate for road safety, which sadly receives minimal attention. We would like to raise awareness on this critical topic and aim to empower people to be safe and feel safe as pedestrians. We encourage individuals, communities, non-profit organisations, and small businesses to jump on board with us and work together to drive this movement forward. By working together, we can create a brighter future for South Africa.”