By OBAKENG MAJE
The North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Sello Lehari urges road users to be more cautious while using various roads across the province. This comes after over 60 people died in various car accidents in North West.
Yesterday, three people died in a head-on collision in Pudimoe Township, near Taung on Christmas Day.
“Eleven more lives were lost on the North West roads over the Christmas weekend. This brings the total number of lives lost during the festive season to over 60 thus far. On 25 December 2022, three people, two men, and one woman died instantly in a head-on collision in Pudimoe, near Taung on N18.
“In another fatality in Makhubung village outside Mahikeng, a pedestrian (28) was hit by a car on N18 at around 2am. In another accident, a woman (61), who was reportedly waiting for a taxi, was hit by a car that allegedly lost control at 10am in Dinokana village near Zeerust on N4,” Lehari said.
He further said, another pedestrian who was with her, was taken to the Zeerust Hospital with serious injuries. Lehari added, culpable homicide cases are being investigated in all crashes.
“Cumulatively, the figure is 20% less than the same period last year as 67 lives were lost by Christmas Day. All arterial routes in the province including regional roads have recorded higher numbers than normal traffic volume with N4 and N12 having more of them.
“So, we appeal to all road users to be compliant with all regulations. The law enforcement officers have been ordered to strictly apply the law, especially on moving violations as almost all fatal crashes are as a result of deviant driver behaviour,” he said.
A worried Lehari said, there is a growing trend of pedestrians who die from road accidents, and most are reported not to be sober during those accidents. He said in most cases, this happens during the night.