The issue of minibus taxis driving beyond the prescribed speed limit to cut travel time and secure more passenger loads to make profit reared its ugly head in yet another horrific accident on the Dewetsdorp road (R702) on Thursday (18/08).
A hydraulic extrication rescue tool was used to free two occupants who were trapped inside an NP200 Nissan bakkie that was involved in the accident with a Toyota minibus taxi. The pair were trapped due to the impact of the minibus taxi crashing into the bakkie upon crashing into the bakkie.
The accident occurred at around about 07:34. Emergency medical rescue teams were at the scene for more than an hour, attending to injured victims while the road remained closed.
The taxi driver had been heading east on this road, which has two single lanes running in the opposite direction.
According to an eyewitness, the driver of the bakkie was trying to make a U-turn when the minibus taxi crashed into it at high speed.
“Though the taxi driver pulled the emergency brake, he could not avoid the accident from happening. I could hear the loud noise of the taxi’s brakes,” said the eyewitness, an informal trader selling vegetables for a living.
The minibus pushed the white bakkie over the edge of the road and went on to crashing into a road sign.
The male taxi driver escaped unharmed, while the three crash victims who sustained injuries were rushed to hospitals in Bloemfontein.
These include the male driver of the bakkie, plus the two females – one of whomthem had been a passenger in the taxi. This woman reportedly sustained injuries to both legs due to the impact of the accident. She had been in the front seat with the taxi driver.
The speed limit is 60 km/h on this stretch of the road, of which the lane markings are worn beyond visibility – driving is at all times dangerous.
Despite the risky situation, motorists persist driving at high speed.
A male who had boarded the taxi that was following the one that crashed into the bakkie, attests to reckless driving.
“The driver of the taxi I boarded was also speeding. He almost crashed into the same taxi that crashed into the bakkie,” he said.
The accident added to the growing list of frequent accidents occurring happening frequently on the Dr Belcher and Fort Hare Road route to Dewetsdorp. This route is among the routes with the highest traffic volumes in the city.
On 18 July, 13 people gotwere injured in another accident on this stretch of roadstretch.
On 28 April, one occupant died in a head-on collision involving a minibus and an SUV, while the other was freed from entrapment by the Mangaung Fire and Rescue team, who used rescue equipment.
On 18 January, 17 passengers suffered minor injuries after a collision between two minibuses near the Tswellang Special School.
