JOHANNESBURG: Four people, including a three-year-old, have been killed in a crash between a car and a truck on the R42 highway near Vereeniging.
All four were in the car, a charcoal grey Hyundai i20, paramedics said.
Netcare 911 paramedics spokesperson Shawn Herbst said the accident happened at about 5.28am on Sunday morning on the R42 highway between Henley on Klip and Uitvlug in Vereeniging.
“Reports indicate that a truck and car were involved in a collision, resulting in the rolling, ejecting a passenger in the process.
“Medics assessed the scene and found that four occupants of the car, including a three-year-old female, had sustained fatal injuries and were declared deceased on the scene,” said Herbst.
He said a fifth person who was in the car sustained serious injuries and was stabilised by paramedics before being transported by ambulance to a medical facility.
Last week, authorities warned motorists to drive cautiously on the roads over the Heritage Day long weekend.
The Auto & General Insurance group had warned South African motorists to drive safely over the long weekend, warning that crashes were 25% more likely during a long weekend.
At least four out of 10 of those accidents could lead to severe injury, Auto & General had warned, using historical data from claims.
The Johannesburg metro police department spokesperson Wayne Minnaar had also warned motorists against driving at excessive high speeds, unsafe overtaking and driving recklessly.
“The offences which occur most frequently over long weekends are excessive high speed, unsafe overtaking, driving recklessly, overloading and driving with tyres that don’t meet roadworthy standards,” he said.
IOL