POLOKWANE – Polokwane experiences an average of 180 car accidents a month, and some streets are considered as accident hotspots as the majority of accidents occur there.
Stakeholder Relations Officer, Disree Manyane confirmed with Review that the streets where the most accident occur include:
Jorissen, Excelsior, Paul Kruger, Devenish, Rissik, Church, Landdros Maré, Thabo Mbeki, Witklip and Marshall Street as well as Nelson Mandela Drive, the Madiba Park trafic light, the corner of Devenish and Dahl Street, the corner of Rissik and Dahl Street, and the corner of Biccard and Hospital Street, as well as the N1 South.
She added that the reason for these accidents at these hotspots is because drivers disobey the road rules, speeding, novice drivers, un-roadworthy motor vehicles and general disregard for other road users.
“Drivers should always be vigilant, even if they drive a specific route every day, conditions can change in the blink of an eye and one should always be prepared for any emergency or unforeseen circumstances,” she said.
She added that drivers can be safe if they follow these fundamentals:
• Search – The driver of a motor vehicle should continually be searching for any hazards which would cause him or her to change speed or direction.
• Identify – Depending on the type of hazard identified, a prediction must be taken.
• Decide – Depending on the prediction, the driver must decide on how to react to the situation and what actions are to be taken in order to overcome the possibility of a collision.
She said that there are plans to intensify law enforcement, as well as hosting more safety-awareness campaigns, and creating more visibility of officers in those areas to overcome the problem of the motor vehicle accidents.
