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The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has called on motorists to plan their trips carefully and avoid travelling at night during the festive season.
An analysis of fatal crashes over the past festive seasons, according to RTMC, shows that the number
of collisions increase between 4pm and 11pm on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
“This could be attributable to factors such as poor visibility, fatigue, and impaired driving.”
The early hours of the morning before dawn are also a dangerous period in which to drive, it said.
This comes after the death of 13 people in a horrific crash that took place on N1 highway in the Free State on Monday.
According to the RTMC, the accident took place in the early hours of the morning, when it is considered dangerous to drive.
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“Pedestrian collisions and single vehicle overturning are the most common contributors to fatal crashes at this time of the year, and this calls for high levels of vigilance when travelling in built up areas and for motorists to take enough time to rest,” urged the RTMC.
“Driving conditions are likely to be complicated by predictions of severe thunderstorms and heavy downpours in many parts of the country during this period. Motorists should reduce speed when driving in rainy conditions and be extremely cautious when crossing low lying bridges.”
According to the RTMC, 15 or more crashes have taken place on these spots over the past five years:
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