Festive road toll hits 1 204

2003-01-05 17:12

Johannesburg - Road accidents had claimed the lives of 1204 people in South Africa since December 1, Arrive Alive reported on Sunday.

However, the figure was expected to rise as some reports from remote police stations were still outstanding.

The transport department warned South Africans on Sunday that the main traffic routes accross the country were "already very busy" as holidaymakers made their way home after the summer holiday.

The department's Ntau Letebele said that in the Western Cape, the N2 at Grabouw was carrying heavy traffic, both from vehicles travelling to Cape Town and from vehicles travelling towards Hermanus.

Traffic volumes on the N3 at Mariannhill had picked up to 1 300 an hour travelling towards Gauteng and at Grootvlei near Heidelburg, volumes of 1 100 were measured at 12pm on Sunday, he said.

Letebele also said the N4 at Middleburg was seeing 1 100 vehicles an hour and that reports from the Lebombo border post indicated that vehicles were queuing to get back into South Africa.

"A fair amount of these are buses. Drivers who experience delays are cautioned to remain patient," he said.

According to the national road safety campaign, Arrive Alive, 873 fatal accidents claimed the lives of 1 113 people in December last year. However, the figure is expected to rise as some reports from remote police stations are still outstanding.

Moreover, since the start of the new year, 91 people have been killed in 52 accidents accross the country, said Arrive Alive.

- SAPA