Taxi plummets off bridge
Motorists travelling on the M1 north near the St Andrews bridge in Parktown witnessed a taxi crashing into the bridge railing, then crashing onto the motorway below.
An eyewitness, Carla Wesley, wrote on Facebook: “Just had my second narrow escape in a month. Watched helplessly as an out of control taxi careened past (sitting third in line at a red light), missed the front car by inches, crashed through the barrier and dived off the bridge onto the M1 highway. Taxi driver is okay and the taxi was empty as was the road below. Nothing short of miraculous really. Usually the M1 south is packed under that bridge during rush hour.”
According to Wesley, the taxi driver was speeding and his wheels locked as he turned. She continued: “I was on the bridge. Very scary. We all jumped out of our cars to help and were amazed that he was relatively unharmed and that he hadn’t landed on anyone.”
ER24’s communications manager Werner Vermaak confirmed there were no passengers in the taxi. “A man believed to be the driver was found lying in the yellow lane of the motorway and was treated on the scene for possible spinal injuries and moderate injuries to his extremities,” said Vermaak.
He added, “Bystanders explained that he climbed out of the taxi moments after it came to a standstill.”
Vermaak said the incident could be considered a “miracle” as the taxi did not land on vehicles travelling under the bridge nor did any other vehicles crash into it. However, several lanes of the motorway had to be closed while the wreckage was removed.
