Consider the “time of day” when making your winter travel plans

At the start of the winter school holiday, Thania Dhoogra, chief operating officer of N3 Toll Concession (N3TC), advises road users to “consider the time of day during which they drive as a crucial road safety factor”.

Cold temperatures can make winter driving uncomfortable and increase road safety risks, especially early mornings and late at night. A review of crash data from the 2024 winter season on the N3 Toll Route shows that a number of single-vehicle crashes and serious/fatal crashes occur between midnight and 5 am. Winter crashes on the N3 Toll Route are often single-vehicle crashes where drivers have lost control of their vehicles, and can be linked to driver impairment, including fatigue, loss of concentration, distractions, negligence, and/or reckless driving.

Cold weather and time of day significantly influence the frequency and severity of crashes, while car heaters have also been identified as one of the main culprits that may be contributing to higher incidences…