First pileup of the season
“Something hit me from the side of my car on the left front and hooked it. My car ended up facing the side of the highway when I was t-boned on the left hand side and pushed into the median,”
A suspected stolen Citi Golf and provincial traffic vehicle were two among those caught up in the 15-car-pileup in the mist.
The accident occurred on Thursday, April 20 amid a dense mist that had settled in overnight along the N12 Highway just after the S-bend outside eMalahleni.
One of Hoërskool Patriot’s learners was late for school on the day as cars piled up along the N12 Highway towards eMalahleni.
A Toyota Rav4 and Audi were the first two vehicles that collided in the thick mist.
“Something hit me from the side of my car on the left front and hooked it. My car ended up facing the side of the highway when I was t-boned on the left hand side and pushed into the median,” said Mr Brian Muir, one of the motorists involved in the accident.
He recalls getting out of his vehicle and standing at the barricade, watching, as cars ploughed into one another in turn.
A Toyota Yaris was able to brake in time avoiding the accident but became a statistic when a truck rammed into it from the back pushing the Yaris roughly 20 meters along the highway.
Cars piled up along the median of the N12 Highway as they avoided the crash on the highway.
The driver sustained lacerations to the face and a head wound. The driver also suffered a concussion.
An 18-wheeler travelling behind the truck was able to avoid the truck but could not stop in time and connected with the stationary Audi, clipping the truck. This was followed by a mini van which rammed into the rear of the truck.
“Everyone on the left hand side of the highway had a piece of the Audi,” said Muir.
He recalled again how everyone who was able to, took safety behind the 18-wheeler, using it as a barrier of sorts from the carnage that was still to come.
“The Ford Ranger missed the entire accident and pulled into the median when a red Polo crashed into the rear of it, followed by a GWM Steam,” said Muir.
It didn’t end there as a Volkswagen Citi Golf crashed into the Steam followed by a provincial traffic control vehicle and a Toyota Corolla.
Mr Richard Davidson, the driver of the Audi was commuting from Johannesburg to eMalahleni when the chaos unfolded before him.
“I was in right lane and had about half a second when I saw his car standing perpendicular – 90 degrees – in the road and ended up t-boning his car. I just got out and ran as I literally knew what was coming next, and the cars started piling up,” said Davidson.
He added
“We weren’t travelling quickly in the mist, which I think is why we are physically okay.”
The executive mayor, Lindiwe Ntshalintshali, feels disheartened after yet another accident on the N12 because of the mist which engulfed that stretch of the highway.
The stolen Volkswagen Citi Golf involved in the accident.
“Motorists must be cautious in that area especially because of the mist which gets worse when we approach winter. Extra care must be taken and they must reduce speed and keep a safe following distance,” she said.
She has called on traffic officers to respond speedily and redirect traffic when there is mist.
In the event that there is mist, the local traffic department in consultation with their provincial counterparts will close the route and redirect traffic so as to prevent further carnage on our roads.
The red Volkswagen Citi Golf involved in the accident was reported stolen in Phola, Iraq Section on April 20. A case of theft of motor vehicle was opened at Phola Police Station. The vehicle has since been impounded at Witbank Police Station.
Its driver at the time fled the scene amidst the commotion of crashing cars.
ALSO READ:
https://www.citizen.co.za/witbank-news/66741/first-real-mist-accident-in-emalahleni/
https://www.citizen.co.za/witbank-news/42983/n12-mist-accident-turns-fatal/
