While we await the official national crash statistics for the Easter long weekend to be released, Trans African Concessions (TRAC) has announced that 32 crashes were recorded on the N4 Toll Route during the 2017 Easter weekend from Thursday April 13th to Monday April 17th. Of these, 25 occurred in South Africa and seven in Mozambique.
This is one less than last year’s 33 crashes and a notable improvement from 2015’s 42 crashes. The number of fatalities recorded throughout the route decreased from five in 2016 – one in South Africa and four in Mozambique – to one in 2017. This crash occurred on April 13th on the Ring Road near Mbombela/Nelspruit when a truck and a sedan collided head-on.
According to a statement issued by TRAC, one of the key contributors to the decreased number of crashes along the route was the TRAC Easter Rescue and Road Safety Campaign. This annual project saw the bulk of Mpumalanga Emergency Services and TRACAssist teams stationed at the Alzu Petroport in Middelburg, and smaller units deployed to strategic points along the highway.
“This initiative went a long way in promoting road safety as it boosted visibility of authorities and allowed road users to connect with them to access valuable information and knowledge on road regulations and safety,” says TRAC.
TRAC has thanked all those road users who heeded its call to practice road safety principles as road safety is everyone’s responsibility. “The N4 Toll Route will become safer and better as long as this philosophy is applied by all who use it,” the statement added.
Bizarre crash
Away from the N4, one of the most bizarre crashes over the Easter period occurred on April 14th in Mosselbay in the Western Cape when a 15-year-old boy who had allegedly stolen a truck ploughed through a roadblock and crashed into two provincial traffic vehicles as well as a private vehicle. Two people were left in a serious condition and another person had moderate injuries.
According to officials on the scene, a roadblock had been set up along the N2 and the fifteen-year-old crashed through the roadblock and into a private vehicle carrying a young lady, believed to be from Johannesburg, and two adults, believed to be from England.
Paramedics from ER24 arrived on the scene at approximately 3.30pm where they found a woman in her twenties and a man (65) severely trapped inside the vehicle. A 64-year-old woman was also found in the vehicle. She was treated on the scene for moderate injuries and transported by ER24 to Bayview Hospital.
The woman (64) and man (65) were from England. The man had sustained severe injuries. He was treated on the scene and rushed by Metro EMS to Bayview Hospital for further care. The woman in her twenties was found in a critical condition. She was airlifted by AMS to George Provincial Hospital.
The fifteen-year-old was assessed and treated on the scene by Metro EMS. He was later transported to Mosselbay Provincial Hospital. He sustained minor injuries.
