Here’s when to expect increased traffic on the N3 route on Monday

Traffic levels are expected to increase along the N3 on Monday, as Gauteng residents head back home after the Easter long weekend.

According to N3 Toll Concession (N3TC), the heaviest traffic volumes are expected between 12pm and 6pm that evening.

More than 1 500 vehicles are expected to pass through the tolls per hour on the route.

ALSO READ: Around 2 500 vehicles expected per hour on the N3 toll route this Easter

“The traffic inspectorate may impose traffic control measures along the route to manage traffic flow, limit congestion and improve safety all along the route – and especially along Van Reenen pass,” N3 Toll Concession operations manager, Thania Dhoogra, said on Sunday.

Dhoogra advised motorist to ensure that they maintain increased vigilance while travelling.

“Motorists are advised to plan ahead and prepare for busy traffic conditions on the N3 toll road this coming Monday. High volumes on the route are expected throughout the entire day, beginning at 6am and continuing until 9pm in the evening,” she said.

Lower weekend traffic

Meanwhile, the Deputy Transport Minister Lisa Mangcu reported that traffic volumes on the road this Easter long weekend have been much lower than that of last year.

The country’s interprovincial highways were expected to be extremely busy as thousands of people hit the road to visit their families for the Easter holiday, which usually experiences for high volumes of traffic and fatal car crashes.

The N3TC indicated that it had expected high traffic volumes of 2 500 vehicles per hour on the N3 route in a southbound direction towards KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), but these numbers decreased significantly.

READ MORE: Wet Easter Sunday on the cards for holidaymakers returning home

“We are seeing a reduction of numbers countrywide between 4 000 and 5 000 less vehicles on the road than the previous year,” Mangcu told eNCA.

The busiest routes at this time of the year include the N1 from Gauteng to Limpopo, the N3 from Gauteng to KZN, the N2 from the Western Cape to Eastern Cape, the N14 to from Gauteng to the North-West and the N12.

Meanwhile, three people lost their lives and one person was seriously injured in an accident involving a car and a truck on the N2 highway near Mandeni, KZN on Saturday.

Easter road stats

The Easter 2022 road statistics recorded 162 fatalities nationwide.

Road crashes declined by 28.6%, resulting in 31.5% decline in the number of fatalities when compared to the 2021 statistics.

All provinces recorded a decline in fatalities, except for the Western Cape and Mpumalanga.

According to N3TC, last year’s statistics show that the majority of all crashes were caused by human error, whether it is as a result of driver negligence such as speeding, or a lack of concentration.

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