Officials in Cape Town are exploring additional steps to enhance safety and reduce speed on Kloof Nek Road following an incident involving a cement truck that lost control and crashed into at least 15 vehicles and two homes.
The accident, which occurred on the steep incline of the road, resulted in three people being injured and hospitalised.
In video footage circulated via social media, a pedestrian can be seen hastily getting out of the way of the runaway truck.
The police have confirmed that a case of reckless and negligent driving has been opened.
Although no arrests have been made as investigations continue, police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk indicated that the matter remained under review.
According to Ward Councillor Francine Higham, this was the third accident on the road in just over a year involving a heavy vehicle losing control.
Higham, who was present at the scene, highlighted the significant damage and trauma caused, stressing that those incidents could not be ignored.
Following a similar accident in September of the previous year, she had engaged extensively with the city's urban mobility department to push for safety improvements on the road.
In response, the city has already made several changes, including reducing the speed limit to 50km/h and installing additional signage on the Camps Bay Drive approach, which also features warning lights.
There is now also signage at the top of the road to remind truck drivers to gear down, given the risk of brake failure on steep downhill sections.
Higham noted that a speed camera on Kloof Nek Road had been made fully operational after an electrical fault was discovered, and that a new pedestrian crossing with traffic signals had been installed at the intersection of Tafelberg Road and Signal Hill Drive.
This crossing has not only improved pedestrian safety but also eased congestion during peak times by allowing vehicles to exit on to Kloof Nek Road more smoothly. Additionally, it has helped slow traffic coming from Camps Bay.
While further measures to reduce speed and enhance safety are being considered, Higham acknowledged that many accidents were caused by driver behaviour and the condition of vehicles.
She also mentioned that, while speed bumps were not viable due to the road's gradient, banning trucks from the road was impractical as it served as a key route for construction vehicles and goods deliveries to areas such as the City Bowl, CBD, and Atlantic Seaboard. SOURCE: Business Live.
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