Heavy traffic on all roads
2012-01-02 16:19
Johannesburg - Roads to Gauteng are experiencing extremely heavy traffic as holiday makers return home after the festive season, the Road Traffic Management Corporation said on Monday.
"Twenty-six thousand cars an hour are passing through the N3 Mooi River toll plaza going north to Johannesburg from Durban today, with a peak of 2633 cars after noon," spokesperson Ashref Ismail said
On the N1 south, 1 700 cars were passing through the Kranskop toll plaza between Polokwane and Pretoria every hour, while 1 000 cars were passing through the Verkeerdevlei toll plaza on the N1 north to Johannesburg in the Free State. "We want to appeal to road users to please exercise extreme caution and to observe the rules of the road.
"It has been reported to the Road Traffic Management Corporation that following distances on the roads are not what they should be. We appeal to motorists to not drive on the back of vehicles in front of you, as this can cause accidents and road rage," he said.
"If you are travelling long distances, take a break every 200km or two hours."
He said traffic officials were exercising a zero tolerance approach to drivers and vehicles that could potentially cause harm to other road users.
"Traffic enforcement will be conducting high visibility patrols around the clock and dangerous drivers will be removed from the road as will unroadworthy vehicles."
Ismail cautioned those towing caravans and trailers to monitor tyre pressure for both the vehicle and what was being towed to ensure tyres didn't burst while in transit.
The RTMC's preliminary figure for road deaths during the festive season was just over 1100.
- SAPA
