Kassier Road is a ‘death trap’, say residents
Residents say the road, which is one of the main entrances into Hillcrest and Botha's Hill, has been a matter of concern for some time.
‘I JUST froze and closed my eyes, I really thought we were going to die’, said an Assagay resident after she was almost wiped out by a truck on Kassier Road.
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On Wednesday, 9 September, Ann Mowat and her daughter with two grandchildren stopped at the stop sign on Chartwell Drive Assagay, intending to turn right into Kassier Road when the incident happened.
Residents say the road, which is one of the main entrances into Hillcrest and Botha’s Hill, has been a matter of concern for some time.
Mowat said she is still shaken when she recalls the ordeal. She said the driver of the truck was speeding on Kassier Road towards them.
“There is a small section on Kassier Road to allow vehicles to turn left into Chartwell Drive. There is also a slight curve on Kassier Road on approach to Chartwell Drive. Kassier Road then goes up a slight hill to the traffic lights at Old Main Road, Hillcrest,” said Mowat.
The trembling Mowat said, “The driver came right into that small turning section of the road straight for us. We were so frozen that we just said he is going to hit us.
” The driver managed to correct his angle and make the curve and almost hit the barrier rails on the left hand side of Kassier Road. Kassier Road is a provincial road and the residents who gathered at Mowat’s house have appealed to the Department of Transport to install traffic calming measures.
“As a community we have made several requests to have some sort of traffic calming enforced, but to date nothing has been done. Unfortunately for us Kassier Road is our only access point of getting out of the area,” said another resident, Bill Farrell asking how many more lives should be lost before the department takes action.
The residents said there have been numerous accidents on the busy road.
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“Just a few short weeks ago a young lady was killed at the exact same intersection where Mowat and her family had a near death experience. “There have been numerous serious accidents at this intersection over the last few years, and it is becoming increasing worse now with fatalities, four people have died on this road. The speed limit is 80 kmh which is totally unacceptable as it is in a built up area,” said Farrell.
What’s more in addition to reckless and speeding drivers frequenting the road it was fraught with potholes. The residents said that they also suspect that the high rate accidents are caused by the state of the road. “Motorists who are not familiar with this road always serve trying to avoid these pothole,” said Farrell. Mowat added that they are appealing for speed humps, a traffic island, cameras and big road signs.
Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting
