And sometimes one's guardian angel isn't enough protection on the road. But now you can also rely on a new GPS device, known as the Road Angel.
Basically, Road Angel is a GPS receiver that has its position on the road updated every second by a network of GPS navigation satellites.
You plug the Road Angel device into your car's cigarette lighter or a power point and place it on the dashboard or windscreen. For any GPS device to work properly it must have a clear view of the sky to communicate with satellites.
The Road Angel calculates and displays the accurate speed of your vehicle, while at the same time compares your vehicle?s position with a map of hazard areas (such as hijack, high accident and smash and grab zones) stored into its memory.
It also alerts you of fixed speed safety cameras, mobile laser guns and schools so that you can adjust your speed to the legal limit.
According to the distributors of Road Angel, the maps and data it uses are supplied by Roadvigil, who has a collection of road hazard data around South Africa. You can also update your Road Angel with the latest information via the web.
Legal
When you approach a danger zone the Road Angel will give you audio and visual warnings.
As you get closer to the hazard area the LCD display will change colour from blue to red. Simultaneously a hazard icon appears and proximity bars will be increasingly displayed.
At the location all five bars are displayed and the LCD flashes rapidly. Your speed continues to be shown so you can check the traffic condition and take extra care.
They also emphasise that the philosophy behind Road Angel is to enhance safety and compliance with the law.
Road Angel is completely legal in South Africa as it isn't a detector in the ordinary sense of the word. It does not interfere with the operation of safety enforcement.
In fact, the Road Angel proves to be a powerful road safety product and might just help guard your life.