Fatalities on the N1/N4 route have decreased by 25% over 2015, compared with 2014, reports toll concession company Bakwena.

From January to September 2014, fatalities on the N1 totalled 16 and 46 on the N4. By the end of September, the N1 had recorded 14 fatalities, which was a 12.5% improvement, while the N4 had recorded 28 fatalities, which meant there was an improvement of 39.1%.

“We attribute our success to the responsible driving behaviour of motorists, as well as our commitment to ongoing improvements, road safety initiatives and partnerships that were put in place to ensure maximum safety,” said Bakwena commercial manager Liam Clarke during a media lunch last month.

He further mentioned that the most notable change was over the 2015 Easter period, when Bakwena recorded zero fatalities, which was an improvement on last year’s statistics of four deaths, and an exception to the unfortunate increase in the national statistics of 287 deaths in 208 accidents over the same weekend.

“A major concern is the presence of pedestrians on the road, which is why accesses to the highway have been closed off and a 2.1 km pedestrian fence has been erected on the N1 north of Zambezi plaza,” Clarke pointed out.

Moreover, Bakwena has been working closely with the Tshwane Metro Police, the North West traffic and other local traffic authorities to enforce traffic laws on the highway, which has resulted in improved safety on the N1/N4 route. This, coupled with the erection of the blue kilometre board markers, placed at distances of 200 m on the N1/N4, assisted motorists who needed roadside help and wanted to report inci-dents on the highway.

“Additionally, in the past 12 months, Bakwena has undertaken maintenance work on the N1/N4 roads, with a combined investment of R855-million to ensure further safety for our commuters. “The most recent completed project includes the construction of the additional dual carriageway on the N4 between the Brits West interchange (R512) and the Buffelspoort interchange,” he indicated.