The Road Freight Association (RFA) has pleaded for immediate action by the relevant authorities following yesterday’s horrific accident on the M41 eastbound when a runaway truck – so it seems – ploughed through early-morning traffic in uMhlanga Ridge.
Some 47 cars were damaged and destroyed in the incident that, remarkably, caused no fatalities.
Sixteen people were admitted to hospital, one of them a pregnant woman who was airlifted from the scene.
According to local reports yesterday, the truck only came to a standstill some two kilometres after colliding with the first car, when it overturned after crashing through a highway barrier.
Apparently, it was loaded with a black substance which this morning remains unidentified.
As with last year’s head-on collision south of Pongola that claimed the lives of 18 children travelling to school on the back of a bakkie, the driver of the truck that apparently caused yesterday’s accident through overtaking another vehicle, fled the scene on foot.
Investigators going through the truck’s cabin apparently found registration documentation and number plates for four different provinces.
Reacting to yesterday’s carnage on the M41, the RFA described the accident as “unacceptable and unnecessary”.
In view of South Africa’s extreme road accident cases, the worst in the world according to recent studies out of the US, the statement issued by the RFA this morning said: “Notwithstanding the loss of life, injuries and loss of property, such scenes cannot be allowed to continue.”
Unfortunately, while yesterday’s accident was still being absorbed and reacted to, another chaotic road accident was reported – this time claiming a life.
The multiple-vehicle pile-up on the M71/Main Road in Lonehill also occurred in rush-hour traffic.
Emer-G-Med’s Kyle van Reenen said 21 people sustained critical injuries.
Reacting to the uMhlanga accident, the RFA in its statement is calling on the relevant local authority to initiate the post-crash investigation as a matter of urgency and to determine what caused the crash.
“As the RFA has continually notes: the causes of such crashes need to be identified and then actively addressed.”
The association added: “Those transporters (or any road user for that matter) who choose to be non-compliant (eg. roadworthy/dangerous vehicles and/or badly skilled drivers) need to be held liable and culpable. They also need to be removed from the road.
“In addition, the road where the crash occurred was congested for a while, but also damaged. South Africa cannot afford this.
“It is time local and provincial authorities clamped down on all unroadworthy vehicles, reckless and negligent driving and those who use our roads in a selfish and illegal manner.”
An early report that the M71 accident was also caused by a truck remains unconfirmed.
At this stage, it appears that the accident was caused by speeding motorists ploughing into a braking car because of not adhering to safe following distances.
