Gauteng traffic police urge drivers to exercise caution on the road over the Easter weekend

Gauteng traffic police have urged drivers, particularly public transport operators, to exercise caution this Easter weekend.

They say the Easter holiday period is often characterized by a high increase in long-distance travelling, mostly for religious pilgrimages and holiday adventures using mass transport such as busses and mini-busses.

Busy freeways and routes include the N1 to Polokwane, N3 to Durban, N4 to Rustenburg and Mpumalanga respectively.

Spokesperson Sello Maremane says road users should be cautious as Gauteng province has over the past few years, recorded a rapid increase in the number of traffic crashes.

“It is a common phenomenon that most public transport operators travel long distances without taking periodic rests to maximize profits, thereby disregarding fatigue and compounding the traffic safety situation further. The rush to make profits by public transport operators, especially during the Easter season period often results in various forms of dangerous driving such as reckless and negligent driving, disregard for traffic signals, excessive speeding, passenger overloading and unsafe overtaking. These traffic contraventions often lead to fatal crashes,” says Maremane.

Meanwhile, Limpopo traffic officials anticipate a large volume of travellers.

Transport MEC Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya is manning a roadblock at the Kranskop Toll Gate along the N1 near Bela Bela.

Motorists driving vehicles that are not roadworthy have been slapped with traffic fines.

VIDEO: SABC News reporter Katlego Nyoni is at the Kranskop Toll Gate in Limpopo: