Three Die Along A1 Road

Bonte Seepi | Monday April 3, 2017 15:38

According to Palapye police traffic officer, assistant superitendent Obonetse Tuelo, the accident happened around 10pm at Radisele village. He said the police suspect that the Toyata Altezza was heading from Mahalapye to Palapye and had five occupants, two men and three women.

“The accident took place just after Radisele junction. Allegations are that the driver lost control of the car, hence the car got out of its lane and went towards the fence near Tshephang Complex, which is just along A1 road.

It cut the animal control fence and tossed three passengers outside through the windows,” Tuelo said.

He said that unfortunately three passengers, two women and one man aged between 28 and 32 lost their lives, whilst the other two survived with serious injuries. The survivors, who remained in the motor vehicle, have been admitted at Palapye Primary Hospital.

“We are still not yet certain as to who exactly was driving the car at the time of the accident because we have not yet recorded statements from those who are alive as they sustained serious injuries.

However, we hope to do so soon as according to the medical doctors their injuries are not life threatening even though they are major,” he said.

The traffic officer also said they suspect the occupants did not put on their safety seatbelts, which explains why they were easily thrown out of the car. 

In another incident, a 29-year-old man died last week along Moshopha-Pilikwe road in the Tswapong area after his father who was driving without a drivers licence lost control of the Toyota Corolla they were travelling in.

Mahalapye police traffic officer, assistant superitendent Kgosienalerona Sechoni said the accident happened around 1500 hours late last week. He said it happened near Kolomong cattlepost in a gravel road when the two were heading from Moshopha to Pilikwe.

“We suspect that the driver lost control and the motor vehicle overturned and spit the passenger outside through the window.

Apparently the passenger who was certified dead at Sefhare Primary Hospital was the son of the driver, motor vehicle owner,” Sechoni said.

Sechoni further said they have established that the accident might have happened because the 56-year-old man, the driver, did not have a driver’s licence. He said they also suspect that the passenger did not put on his seat belt.

“We also suspect that the driver was overspeeding and the fact that he was driving in a gravel road he lost control of it.

However, he sustained very serious injuries from the accident and is currently hospitalised at Nyangabgwe Refferal Hospital,” he said.

According to Sechoni, the driver might face a charge of causing death by reckless driving and driving a motor vehicle without a driver’s licence.

He warned road users to always be midful of the condition of the road, saying one cannot drive in a gravel road using the same speed as in tarred roads.