Spate of accidents spark alarm in Westville
Concerned residents in Chester Terrace, a road beside the M13 freeway, have urged motorists to drive with caution when approaching the M13 Durban bound near Salisbury Avenue as the number of accidents have increased, especially when it rains.
THE increasing number of accidents on the M13 Durban bound near Salisbury Avenue in Westville is causing anxiety among residents and is impacting their sense of security.
Margaret Wasserfall, a long-standing resident of Chester Terrace, a residential road beside the freeway, said the number of accidents are getting out of control, with one of the recent accidents claiming the life of an elderly woman.
“Whenever it rains, there are always accidents on this freeway, with no fail,” she said.
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The woman, believed to be in her 70s, died in a serious single vehicle crash last December. When paramedics arrived on scene, they found a single vehicle had rolled numerous times, coming to rest on its roof.
“Paramedics quickly assessed the scene and found that the driver and only occupant of the vehicle were entrapped in the wreckage.
“Unfortunately the female, believed to be in her seventies, had sustained major injuries and there was nothing paramedics could do for her and she was declared deceased on the scene,” reported ALS Paramedics on the day of the accident.
Wasserfall said she believes the accidents are caused by the water that gathers at the bottom of the freeway when it rains. “I hope that by publishing this article, motorists can become cautious when driving down the hill.”
The resident also mentioned another serious accident which happened two weeks ago.
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“The accident happened at about midnight. I believe the driver lost control and the car flipped. He was trapped underneath the car, fire brigades had to be called to rescue him. The engine fell out, that is how bad the accident was. The man was transported to hospital and I do not know if he is still alive, I hope he is,” she said.
Another resident said they even fear to walk with their children and dogs on the road as they can never know when an accident could happen.
“Driving with caution and slowing down, especially when it rains, could help decrease the number of accidents,” said the resident.
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