Winter school holiday traffic surge: Why you should avoid night driving on the N3

Motorists are urged to avoid night travel on the N3 Toll Route, as traffic surges and hazardous conditions arise.

Motorists travelling on the N3 Toll Route during the winter school holidays have been urged to avoid driving after dark as authorities brace for a surge in traffic volumes from Friday.

Road safety officials say the combination of increased holiday traffic, ongoing roadworks, and harsh winter weather is expected to create hazardous driving conditions on one of the country's busiest transport corridors.

N3 Toll Concession (N3TC) Chief Operating Officer, Thania Dhoogra, said crash statistics show that nearly half of all collisions on the route occur at night.

“Approximately 49% of all crashes on the N3 Toll Route occur at night,” Dhoogra said. “Night-time crashes are usually more severe and frequently involve different vehicle types or pedestrians, resulting in serious injuries and fatalities.”