How to avoid being a victim of a rock attack - tips from the AA

Be alert‚ avoid driving at night and stay off roads where rock throwing incidents have occurred.

That is the advice from the Automobile Association (AA) after another motorist became the victim of such an attack in KwaZulu-Natal. A motorist narrowly escaped injury when a rock was hurled over North Coast Road near Glen Anil on Sunday.

Last month Amina Haffejee and her brother Abdur Raheem were killed when a rock was thrown from a highway overpass on the N2 near Tongaat.

"These attacks‚ because this is how they must be viewed‚ are barbaric and cowardly. Throwing rocks off bridges onto vehicles below is extremely dangerous and can‚ as we have seen‚ cause death and severe injuries to the driver and passengers of the vehicles‚" the association said in a statement.

The AA said‚ while there is no perfect solution to dealing with a rock being thrown onto your vehicle‚ a few tips‚ including changing lanes‚ could be helpful. "There is a practice to change lanes immediately before entering a bridge to avoid becoming a victim. This may work if there is no other traffic around‚ and you are able to move freely between lanes."

"However‚ this is problematic if there are other cars who have the same idea. Stick to the speed limits‚ always obey the rules of the road‚ and always be vigilant of what other drivers are doing‚" the association said.

It added that authorities in areas where these attacks have occurred have a duty to deploy extra personnel on bridges‚ and to follow up on all complaints.

"The re-emergence of rock throwing is scary and despicable. Everything must be done to track down the culprits and‚ once in custody‚ they must not be spared the full extent of the law."