CoCT urges caution on the road amid rainy weather, after attending to abnormal car accident rate

CAPE TOWN - The City of Cape Town says its traffic services attended to 293 car accidents over the past week, which is more than five times the usual weekly average. 

With more rainfall expected later this week, the city has urged motorists to take extra caution on the roads.

READ: Amid flooding, WC Infrastructure Dept urges public to refrain from removing road signs

Mayco member for Safety and Security JP Smith said the inclement weather of the past week resulted in fewer arrests, while motor vehicle accidents skyrocketed.

"The inclement weather may have kept some criminals at bay, but it’s been a busy week for our traffic services and emergency services who attended to at least 293 crashes ranging from fender benders to more serious incidents.”

Smith said it was likely the actual tally was far higher:

"Not all incidents are necessarily reported through the same channels. The worse the weather, the better our driving habits should be. With more rain predicted this week, we urge motorists to slow down, increase their following distance, and switch on their headlights to adapt to the challenging conditions. We’ll all get where we need to be, albeit cold and wet."