Festive season casualties drop in Free State, year-on-year

Staff reporter

Bloemfontein – Year-on-year comparison shows a decline in festive season casualties.

Data in possession of this publication show from the 1st – 31st December 2023, at least;

• 39 people were declared dead on arrival,
• 178 over turns,
• 121 head-on collisions,
• 125 serious and life-threatening,
• 257 moderate to serious,
• 407 minor injuries,
• 11 accidents caused by objects or animals

Thabo Mofutsanyane was the epicenter as the heaviest casualty was on N3 on the 23 December 2023 where a truck and a taxi collided and six people lost their lives with nine seriously injured.

In the same district, a taxi collided with a car on the 22nd of December 2023, and ten people were seriously injured while six were moderately injured with one person losing their life.

In Lejweleputswa four people lost their lives on the 22nd of December 2023 when two cars collided, and one person sustained serious injuries.

A few days earlier, on 17 December 2023, three people lost their lives, two were seriously injured, and two were moderately injured in the same district.

Mangaung registered the lowest casualties with three persons dead against 24 people who died in 2022 is a huge decline.

At this stage, it’s not clear what contributed to the decline but the Department of Community Safety, Roads and Transport embarked on road safety awareness albeit in the middle of the festive season but the positive impact is there for anyone to see.

While the department carried roadblocks, they focused mainly on Southern Free State and Mangaung in particular.

About 65% of the accidents happened between 16h00 – 00h00

Data from 2022 festive statistics show Thabo Mofutsanyana recorded the highest motalities just like 2023 and one would have assumed N3 should have been on high alert.

It is not clear at this stage if alcohol or unroadworthiness of the vehicles contributed to the accidents and to what extent.

That goes for potholes or dams in the middle of the roads.

We shall wait for Community Safety, Police, and Roads to make their report public that’s if they have it.

Pogisho Sehularo, acting Director of Public Communication and Marketing did not respond to our questions.

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