‘Hit and run won’t stop me’
A Gr 11 learner of Tom Naudé Technical High School, Fanie Nel, was involved in a hit and run accident in Marshall Street on Monday, 30 January.
POLOKWANE – Luckily he only sustained minor injuries, however, the driver of the vehicle that caused the accident drove on without checking to see if he was all right.
The driver of the vehicle in question swerved at a stop sign, almost colliding with the vehicles around it, which prompted Nel to brake. The motorcycle tyre skidded on the solid line separating the lanes after which he fell and slid across the tar.
“I remembered that my father advised me to kick the motorcycle away from me in the event that I would fall and I believe that was my saving grace. The woman who drove the car that caused the accident simply drove away. She did not even stop so see if I was injured or even cared if I was alive,” Nel recalls the accident.
After the accident, bystanders rushed to Nel’s assistance. One of the eye witnesses, Ilna van Niekerk, gave her account of the accident.
“Everything happened so fast, my son and I were shocked. It greatly affects other people’s lives if people disobey the traffic rules,” she said.
Another eyewitness, who chose to stay anonymous, said he was shocked by the entire incident, especially the driver who just left the scene without checking to see if Nel was injured.
“There are so many thoughts that rush through your mind when you see something like this. What shocked me the most was that the woman just drove away. You have to take responsibility for your actions. It is a sign of humanity to stop and see if anyone is injured,” he said.
Nel sustained injuries to his arms and hands which causes him difficulty to write, which means he is falling behind with his schoolwork. “I know I was in the right, and even though I was injured, this accident will not keep me from riding motorcycle again as soon as I can,” Nel said.
