Early reports were that the annual carnage was down by almost two thirds over the comparative period.
|||This past Easter weekend may have seen the safest roads in South Africa’s history.
Early reports were that the annual carnage was down by almost two thirds over the comparative period, with 109 deaths this year as opposed to the 296 people lost their lives during the same period in 2011.
Western Cape authorities were bracing for a rise in the Easter road death toll which last night stood at 13.
Although fatalities were down from last year’s 21, Transport and Public Works MEC Robin Carlisle said he was disappointed the target of zero fatalities had not been achieved.
“The weather played a major part in the crashes. I was particularly disappointed by the irresponsible behaviour which caused the loss of young lives on our roads,” he said.
Traffic officials nabbed 30 drunk drivers and 1 337 for speeding, said provincial traffic chief Kenny Africa, adding that 80 percent of the crashes were on Sunday.
“The main reason for the increase in the fatalities was the extreme weather conditions on Sunday. Roads were slippery. “
Africa said there were two major accidents, one at Mitchell’s Pass near Ceres, in which three people died, and another on the N1 near Leeu Gamka. A motorist was killed when his BMW crashed into the back of a stationary minibus taxi on the N2 near the Vanguard turnoff while a 36-year-old woman died when she lost control of her vehicle near Plattekloof.
Two people were killed and a third seriously injured in a three-vehicle collision on Old Faure road in Eerste Rivier on Saturday. ER24 spokesman Andre Visser said a VW Golf and a Bantam bakkie had allegedly collided head-on, before another bakkie crashed into the carnage.
“All of the major roads are very busy. The roads are extremely congested on Sir Lowry’s Pass. It is bumper to bumper coming into Cape Town. At least 1 700 vehicles an hour are passing through the Huguenot Toll Plaza,” he said.
xolani.koyana@inl.co.za
Cape Times