The N4 after dark: no man’s playground

The N4 is a dangerous place in the middle of the night, and drivers are urged to exercise extreme caution when embarking on a drive along this route in the dark.

A bystander, who was on scene shortly after the accident initially occurred, and who had contact with one of the truck drivers, recounted the tale of terror as follows:

On Saturday, August 18, a freight truck was travelling along the N4 towards eMalahleni when suddenly it was confronted by two stationary vehicles in the lane just ahead of it on the section of the N4 which falls under Vosman’s jurisdiction.

The truck driver tried to change lanes to avoid colliding with these two stationary vehicles, but realised that doing so would potentially injure one of the many drivers who were busy overtaking him at this point. It was too late for the truck driver to bring his vehicle to a complete stop, and thus he collided with the two stationary vehicles in the lane ahead of him.

ALSO READ

N4 highway claims the lives of five

N4 highway accident leaves one dead

The two stationary vehicles were another freight truck and its “breakdown bakkie”. These two vehicles had been moving very slowly along the N4, for reasons unknown, with the breakdown bakkie following behind the freight truck, when they suddenly came to a stop, whilst the truck behind them could not.

The breakdown bakkie, according to witnesses on the scene, was sandwiched between the two trucks and this is where a fatality was suffered. The driver of the truck which was unable to stop after the two vehicles surprised him by stalling also sustained injuries in the accident.

The truck which collided with a stationary bakkie and truck. The bakkie’s wreck is still stuck in the truck’s grill, its door splayed open awkwardly as if to emphasize the horror of the scene.

The morbid message to take from this terrible accident which cost one man his life is to avoid coming to a near or complete stop on the N4 after dark as far as possible, and to employ the required reflective triangle should a breakdown be inevitable to give other drivers sufficient notice to change lanes. The breakdown bakkie and truck did everything in their power to avoid a collision by driving slowly and attempting to be cautious, but unfortunately the N4 is a dangerous beast at night.

Constable Khomotso Maluleke of Vosman Police Station pleaded with drivers

“please, reduce your speed at night on the N4 and keep a safe following distance! The N4 is notoriously dark at night and with the road works currently taking place on it, it’s more dangerous than ever. Drivers need to stay alert and make an effort to drive safely.”