The N3 Toll Concession company has expressed grave concern about the severity of crashes on this route between Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, as well as the number of people who have died in single-vehicle crashes since the start of the festive season last week.
N3TC transport engineer Miles Le Roux says initial reports indicate that people are regularly exceeding speed limits along most parts of the route.
Le Roux says there is little evidence of patience on the road and drivers’ frustrations are aggravated by delays due to serious crashes.
N3TC operations manager Thania Dhoogra says, “N3TC appeals to motorists to please slow down and share the road responsibly. Follow the signposted speed limits and especially when approaching an incident scene, slow down for your safety and that of the emergency services on the scene. Wet and overcast conditions are reported over much of the N3 toll route. Please adjust your driving style accordingly by reducing speed, increasing following distances and turning your headlights on to ensure increased visibility.”
09h39 23/12 #N3CrashUpdate #VehicleFire: N3 5 20.0 N #N3JoburgBound near Wembezi Bridge. Left lane closed. Traffic moving past scene. Please be cautious and take care.
— N3 Toll Concession (@N3Route) December 23, 2021
Spike in road crashes
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula on Wednesday said drunken driving, high speed and reckless driving are some of the contributing factors to road fatalities during this period.
Releasing the preliminary Festive season fatalities statistics at the R80 Soshanguve/ Mabopane highway north of Pretoria, Mbalula said there has been a 142% spike in crashes, with 111 fatal crashes this year compared to 34 last year.
Seventeen motor vehicle crashes were recorded this year, compared to seven over the same period in 2020.
Mbalula added that despite the grim statistics, thousands of road users continue to respect the law and obey the rules of the road.
More details in the video below:
