Durban – With less than three days until the festive peak seasons starts the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has warned motorists to avoid travelling at night.
In a statement the corporation said that from an analysis of fatal crashes over previous festive seasons it showed that the number of collisions increase between the hours between 4pm and 11pm. Most accidents occurred between Thursday and Sunday.
“This could be attributable to factors such as poor visibility, fatigue, and impaired driving. The early hours of the morning before dawn are also a dangerous period in which to drive,” said RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane.
On Monday, 13 people were killed in an accident on the N1 between Winburg and Verkeerdevlei in the Free State.
“The crash between a truck and taxi happened at approximately 3.15am in the morning and the vehicles collided head on.”
“Pedestrian collisions and single vehicle overturning are the most common contributors to fatal crashes at this time of the year, and this calls for high levels of vigilance when travelling in build up areas and for motorists to take enough time to rest.
“Driving conditions are likely to be complicated by predictions of severe thunderstorms and heavy downpours in many parts of the country during this period. Motorists should reduce speed when driving in rainy conditions and be extremely cautious when crossing low lying bridges,” Zwane said.
The RTMC said 15 or more crashes have taken place in these areas in the past five years, and are accident hotspots.
Here are the list of 24 accident hot spots:
- R573 Moloto Road in KwaMhlanga in Mpumalanga
- R71 Mankweng in Limpopo
- N2 near Idutywa in the Eastern Cape
- N2 near Mount Ayliff in the Eastern Cape
- N1 near Naboomspruit in Limpopo
- R61 near Mbizana in the Eastern Cape
- N1 near Mokopane in Limpopo
- R30 between Stilfontein and Ventersdorp in the North West
- R61 near Umthatha in the Eastern Cape
- N2 near Pongola in KwaZulu Natal
- R61 near Mzamba in the Eastern Cape
- N1 near Musina in Limpopo
- N2 near Mount Frere in Eastern Cape
- N4 near Middelburg in Mpumalanga
- N1 near Laingsburg in Western Cape
- N2 near Port Shepstone in KwaZulu Natal
- N1 near Makhado in Limpopo, the N2 near Libode in the Eastern Cape
- R61 near Libode in Eastern Cape
- N4 near Nelspruit
- Francie van Zyl drive near Parow in Western Cape
- N3 near Harrismith in the Free State
- M35 near Folweni in KwaZulu Natal
- N2 near Umthatha in Eastern Cape
In case of an emergency, motorists may call the following numbers.
On the N3 the emergency number is 0800 63 4357, on the N4 the number is 0800 87 2264, the N1 0800 029 999 and the Sanral emergency number is 0800 0800 487.
IOL