Be careful on the roads this Easter

LIMPOPO – WITH traffic volumes expected to peak this week, there is an overwhelming fear of road fatalities during these Easter holidays.

While the department of transport, safety and liaison prepared to rollout its annual Easter road safety strategy last week, four serious accidents had al-ready occurred, according to the provincial traffic department’s spokesperson, Kagiso Mootane.

In the first accident, which occurred last Friday, a bus and a truck collided on the R101 near Mokopane, leaving 28 people critically injured.

“Several passengers sustained injuries during the crash.

“Information suggests that the bus collided with the back of the truck.

“Apparently the truck had just emerged from a side junction and drove in front of the bus,” Mootane said.

“However, the exact cause of this tragic accident will only be fully known after the police investigation is completed,” she added.

In another road accident on Friday evening, three passengers were killed after the vehicle they were travelling in overturned on the N1 highway near the Baobab toll gate near Musina.

The driver and three other passengers sustained injuries.

Still on Friday, in a separate incident on the R71 road in Mopani, there was an accident that left two people injured.

Also, a pedestrian died when a head-on collision on the R81 near Giyani occurred as he was attempting to cross the road on Friday night. Both drivers involved also died.

Mootane attributed the escalating road fatalities to unroadworthy vehicles, fatigue, dangerous overtaking, speeding, drunk driving and general reckless driving.

“We appeal to motorists to exercise caution at all times to avoid these unwarranted accidents.

“During this Easter holidays, we will exercise zero tolerance when it comes to road traffic offenders.

“There will be a massive presence of traffic officials on the roads to deal with those who are found to be on the wrong side of the road traffic safety law,” Mootane said.