EMER-G-MED paramedics responded to an accident on 9th Road, Bredell in Kempton Park at around 5pm on Thursday March 7, 2013. It is alleged that a white VW Polo was trying to overtake another vehicle when it collided with a Colt bakkie that was travelling in the opposite direction.
The three occupants in the VW Polo had already succumbed due to the severity of their injuries and were declared dead on scene by EMER-G-MED paramedics. The driver of the Colt bakkie was in a critical condition with a suspected fractured pelvis and leg as well as chest injuries.
The patient was transported to Life Glynnwood Hospital by another ambulance service.
How to overtake safely
• Before embarking on the manoeuvre, evaluate the distance and speed of the car in front.
• Also evaluate the hazards that could exist and prove to be threatening.
• Never overtake in blind areas such as bends in roads, corners, near junctions, crossroads, and intersections. In such areas, the driver of the vehicle ahead is not able to have a clear vision of what is behind and passing which may eventually result in an accident. Place the car on the lowest possible gear depending on the speed of your car. This does not mean that if you are already driving at a speed of 80 km/h, you will have to lower down to the 1st gear. Reduce gears to slow down your car for safe overtaking.
• While overtaking, make sure that you maintain a safe distance with the vehicle ahead. This will help you drive your car in flow with the moving traffic.
• Fast acceleration and unnecessary speeding is dangerous just before overtaking. If in case you do accelerate, the distance required for safe overtaking reduces rapidly and could result in an accident.
• Constantly keep an eye on passing vehicles and try to merge with the flowing traffic rather than spacing yourself away from it.
• Overtaking on crowded and busy city roads is dangerous due to numerous signals that are exchanged by drivers. Traffic congestion and different sized vehicles add to the problem. In such cases, avoid overtaking as far as possible and enjoy a slow and safe drive.
• When being overtaken yourself and in case there are approaching vehicles, be sure to slow down a little to let the other driver pass by safely.
