Travelling for December holidays? These are SA’s 24 crash hotspots

The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has called on motorists to plan their trips carefully and avoid travelling at night during the festive season.

An analysis of fatal crashes over the past festive seasons, according to RTMC, shows that the number
of collisions increase between 4pm and 11pm on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, 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, it said.

This comes after the death of 13 people in a horrific crash that took place on N1 highway in the Free State on Monday.

According to the RTMC, the accident took place in the early hours of the morning, when it is considered dangerous to drive.

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“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 built up areas and for motorists to take enough time to rest,” urged the RTMC.

“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.”

These are the 24 crash hotspots:

According to the RTMC, 15 or more crashes have taken place on these spots over the past five years:

• 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
• N2 near Libode in the Eastern Cape
• R61 near Libode in Eastern Cape
• N4 near Nelspruit
• France 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.

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