Accidents.co.za | Discussion, Prevention, Investigation and Response

Transport MEC Robin Carlisle on Monday called the more than 15,000 drunken drivers arrested in the Western Cape last year a shameful statistic.

At least 7,000 drivers were found guilty in a court of law, with a few receiving suspended sentences or in most cases hefty fines for their actions.

Provincial traffic officials conduct weekly operations on the roads, which include driver fatigue and breathalyzer tests on suspected drunken drivers.

Carlisle said drunken driving is a massive problem in the Western Cape.

“The 15,000 people arrested is probably only a small reflection of the reality. I was out the other night and every fourth person that the police stopped was drunk. That included women and people with young children in their car. We have got a critical situation as far as drunk driving is concerned,” he said.

(Story by Rafiz Wagiet, Edited by Lisa Bartlett appeared on Eyewitness News)

A terrible accident on the R 300 direction N2 has left 13 people injured and two deceased. ER 24 paramedics on scene said that taxi had allegedly drifted off of the road which caused it to roll over, ejecting the occupants of the vehicle.
Paramedics desperately tried to resuscitate two patients on scene but to no avail as they were later declared dead at the scene. A total of 13 patients were transported to hospital with various injuries.

Andre Visser
ER24

Four people, including two small children, were injured in a head-on collision in Roodepoort on Saturday, Gauteng paramedics said.

“A father was travelling along Jim Fouche Road in the Weltevreeden area of Roodepoort in the afternoon at around 1pm with his two children,” said Netcare 911 spokesman Chris Botha.

The father was apparently in the process of overtaking another vehicle when he collided head-on with an oncoming one.

At the accident site, paramedics found an 18-month-old baby sitting in the front seat and a four-year-old in the back.

Both children were critically injured with the four-year-old requiring an airlift to hospital.

Their father and the driver of the other vehicle were also seriously injured. – Sapa

A man was killed and a woman seriously injured in an accident in Cape Town on Monday morning, paramedics said.

“A collision between an Uno and a Toyota Fortuner, on Vissershok road, near the N7, left one person dead and another injured this morning,” said ER24 spokesman Tristan Wadeley.

The male driver of the Uno died on the scene while the Toyota’s woman driver was taken to Durbanville Medi-Clinic in a stable condition.

“It is alleged that the driver of the Uno may have lost control of the vehicle resulting in the collision. Police were on scene and are investigating the incident,” said Wadeley. – Sapa

Motorists who were on their way home this afternoon where confronted with severe traffic back log due to a collision on the N3 Durban bound just past the pavilion.

One person is in a critical condition, another two have sustained serious injuries, while five others have sustained minor to moderate injuries after three trucks and eight cars were involved in a collision, completely blocking the freeway off to motorist and making it hard for emergency personnel to arrive at the scene.

ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene to find a truck lying on its side with the driver entrapped. Advanced Life Support intervention had to be performed on the patient. The Jaws of Life and other hydraulic equipment were used to extricate the man from the wreckage. Once out he was transported to Addington Hospital in a critical condition due to his injuries he had sustained.

Two other trucks had crashed in to the side of each other, with a motor vehicle crashing in to the back of one of the trucks. Another vehicle was found lying on its side near the trucks. Six other cars were found close by with various damages.

Two little boys aged six and eight had suffered possible neck and back injuries and were in a serious condition. Five other people sustained minor lacerations and abrasions. All patients were stabilised on the scene and transported to Life Entabeni Hospital and other surrounding hospitals for further medical care.

It is unclear who was at fault or how the collision really occurred but the necessary authorities were on the scene and would be investigating the incident further.

Derrick Banks

ER24

A passenger to be in his early thirty’s is in a critical condition after being entrapped when the light motor vehicle he was travelling in crashed into the back of a stationary truck on Sweetwater and Huntingdon road in Pietermaritzburg this morning.

ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene, and found a light motor vehicle had crashed into the back of the truck. The passenger, who was in a critical condition, had sustained possible head injuries and multiple fractures to his body. Advanced life support intervention was performed on the patient. The patient was intubated and placed on a manual ventilator while the Fire Department used the Jaws Of Life to extricate the patient from the vehicle. Once out he was freed from the wreckage, he was stabilised further and transported to a nearby hospital for further medical care.

It is believed the driver who only sustained minor injury lost control of his car and crashed into the stationary truck. The driver was detained by the SAPS for further questioning.

[Info from ER24]

A passenger to be in his early thirty’s is in a critical condition after being entrapped when the light motor vehicle he was travelling in crashed into the back of a stationary truck on Sweetwater and Huntingdon road in Pietermaritzburg this morning.

ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene, and found a light motor vehicle had crashed into the back of the truck. The passenger, who was in a critical condition, had sustained possible head injuries and multiple fractures to his body. Advanced life support intervention was performed on the patient. The patient was intubated and placed on a manual ventilator while the Fire Department used the Jaws Of Life to extricate the patient from the vehicle. Once out he was freed from the wreckage, he was stabilised further and transported to a nearby hospital for further medical care.

It is believed the driver who only sustained minor injury lost control of his car and crashed into the stationary truck. The driver was detained by the SAPS for further questioning.

Derrick Banks
ER24

A woman had a narrow escape from serious injuries after losing control of her vehicle and crashing into a house in Pinetown this morning.

ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene to find the motor vehicle had gone through a fence, completely destroying the gate and fence and stopping at the front door of the house.

The driver was found inside the house in complete shock but had managed to come out of the accident unharmed. The patient informed paramedics that she would see her personal doctor if further medical treatment was required.

It is unclear exactly how the collision occurred but as per the patient she tried to avoid another car that had come out of one of the side roads. She lost control and ended up smashing into through the property.

Derrick Banks
ER24

17 people were injured after a taxi collided head on with a VW polo on the R114 outside of Riverfield Lodge. One patient was airlifted from the scene after suffering a traumatic amputation of the leg.

Two others were in a critical condition, while the rest had sustained moderate to minor injury.

The road remained closed for two hours while patients were being transported and debris was being cleared.

[Info from ER24]

Three people were transported to hospital after a Toyota Hi-Ace Taxi overturned on the R27 near Ysterfontein.

It is alleged that one of the taxi’s tyres burst which caused it to turn onto its right side and start sliding. A twenty six-year-old female was airlifted from the scene by the ER24-Discovery Medicopter and flown to Tygerberg Hospital for the further treatment of her serious injuries.

Another two patients were transported by a road ambulance to a nearby hospital. It is believed that there were ten occupants in the taxi when the incident occurred.

Tristan Wadeley
ER24