There is nothing unusual about drivers skipping red traffic lights in Mbombela. It may not be a large city, but drivers are usually in a hurry to get where they are going. Looking at the behaviour of people of the road, one sometimes wonder how anyone can refer to this place as the “Slowveld”.
One such an incident nearly ended in tragedy on Sunday. Ms Ingrid Raikes says her husband Mr Adrian and their two dogs were lucky to escape death when the driver of a Volkswagen apparently skipped a red traffic light. The incident occurred at the Mataffin intersection on the N4.
She said the driver of the Volkswagen, who had apparently been driving without a licence, did not sustain any serious injuries. However, two of his passengers were “taken away in ambulances”.
Bossies Community Justice (BCJ) who was on the scene has confirmed the incident. The operators said no one was seriously injured.
According to Ingrid the driver of the Volkswagen forced Adrian “right into and up a deep gutter” on the side of the highway when he skipped the light. This sent the couple’s four-pawed passengers flying. The ridgeback and little black dog were left “badly shaken” after being flung to the front of his 4×4 vehicle.
According to a post on BCJ’s page by an eyewitness, the driver of the Volkswagen had skipped a red light when he drove in front of Adrian.
