Many motorists will set sail Durban on the N3 over the holiday season. Picture: The Witness As the festive and holiday season begins, the N3 Toll Concession (N3TC) has urged motorists to remain cautious and alert. Thousands of holidaymakers are expected to take to the N3 as they head to the coastal areas of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) with their families, as they take a break after an exhausting 2025.
With vehicle volumes expected to increase dramatically on the N3 Toll, the N3TC said there’s a concerning trend: single-vehicle accidents are dominant on the busy route between Gauteng and KZN. “During the previous summer holiday season (Dec 2024), single-vehicle crashes accounted for 53.5% of all crashes on the N3 Toll Route, while 60.4% of crashes recorded between January and November this year involved one vehicle only,” said Thania Dhoogra, chief operating officer of N3 Toll Concession (N3TC), which manages the N3 between Cedara in KZN and Heidelberg in Gauteng. “Crashes where drivers lose control of their vehicles, and either veer off the road or roll their vehicles, highlight just how much motorists are putting themselves and others at risk.” Dhoogra said these crashes are often the result of speeding, fatigue, or distractions — these human factors and driver errors become more common during holiday periods when traffic volumes increase.
She said they expect heavy traffic volumes into KZN from Thursday through Sunday, adding that this will peak again next weekend, with another rise two days before Christmas. Dhoogra added that many crashes stem from speeding, fatigue and driver distraction. “Most crashes are preventable.
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And so, this festive season, the N3TC urges all motorists to help keep their fellow road users safe by sticking to the speed limits, maintaining safe following distances, avoiding distractions, and taking regular breaks,” Dhoogra said. “Increased traffic with congestion and possible delays are expected from later this week. And simple behavioural changes can make all the difference.”
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