Be careful driving SA’s most accident-prone roads

There is much travelling over the festive period, with many accidents historically reported during this time.

Motorists are urged to heed caution when driving, particularly on some of the busiest roads in the country.

These are:

· N4 to Maputo: This connects South Africa directly to Mozambique and is popular with holidaymakers
· N3 to Durban: Connecting three provinces, with many using this road to access Durban
· N1 to Beitbridge: Traffic usually doubles or triples during holidays.

When travelling on these roads, maintain the speed limit and adhere to the rules of the road to protect fellow motorists during the festive period.

Meanwhile, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has called on freight and public transport operators to ensure their drivers are fit and healthy to be on the roads.

“This is also an opportune time for all motorists to ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy and comply with relevant legislation. Vehicle licence discs must be renewed and defects such as cracked windows, worn out wipers, smooth tyres and brakes must be fixed,” RTMC said in a statement.

“Tyre bursts and slippery wet surfaces account for 2.5% and 2.4% as contributory factors to fatal road collisions thus highlighting the importance of having properly functioning brakes and tyres in vehicles.”

DID YOU KNOW?

The top 5 critical routes that have seen more fatal crashes taking place during the past five-year period are:

Mpumalanga (Kwamhlanga)- R71
Limpopo (Mankweng)- R71
Eastern Cape (Dutywa)- N2
Eastern Cape (Mount Ayliff)- N2
Limpopo (Naboomspruit) -N1#fika_usaphila pic.twitter.com/LS1GXhqWyS

— Road Traffic Management Corporation (@TrafficRTMC) December 4, 2023

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