Busy traffic conditions have been experienced on the N3 Toll Route since the official start of the summer holiday last week.

High traffic volumes of between 12 000 and 13 000 vehicles per day (across all vehicle classes) were recorded travelling southbound (towards Durban) at both De Hoek and Mooi Toll Plazas on Friday, 12 December and Saturday, 13 December 2025. Similar peak traffic patterns are expected this weekend, particularly on Friday, 19 December, and Tuesday, 24 December.

Following the first busy holiday weekend, road incident management teams have raised serious concerns about increasingly reckless and impatient driver behaviour being observed along the N3 Toll Route.

Driving with impunity
“Not even the persistent wet weather conditions along the route, or the dangers present at crash scenes, appear to deter some motorists,” says N3TC’s route incident manager, Praveen Sunderlall. “Many drivers are driving with a complete disregard for traffic laws, their safety, or the well-being of others.”

He continues, “They ignore speed limits, warning signs, and even our flagmen who are attempting to slow traffic as vehicles approach lane obstructions or crash scenes. Motorists frequently continue at high speeds through closed sections, veer off the road to pass crash scenes, ignore warnings, and block emergency lanes. When emergency lanes are obstructed, critical response times are delayed and lives are placed at greater risk.”

“This behaviour is not only compromising our ability to do our jobs, it is directly threatening our lives,” says emergency responder, Clifford Daniels. “We work under extreme pressure at these high-risk scenes and rely on road users to strictly adhere to basic safety and traffic control protocols.”

High speed persists despite wet weather
Excessive speed, particularly in wet weather conditions, remains a major contributor to crashes on the N3 Toll Route, often resulting in drivers losing control of their vehicles on the roads. Incident management teams report that many motorists are failing to adjust their driving styles to the prevailing weather and traffic conditions.

“We regularly observe drivers not reducing their speed sufficiently on wet roads,” continues Mr Sunderlall.

Even in adverse weather conditions, some motorists continue to travel well over the speed limit. They remain in the fast lane, averaging between 130–140km/h, and impatiently attempt to push ahead even when traffic is backed up, or when lane closures are in place.

Simple actions save lives
Ahead of the next expected peak traffic period starting tomorrow (Friday), N3TC urges all motorists to get back to the basics of road safety: obey the rules of the road, slow down in inclement weather or when visibility is poor, heed road signage and early warnings, drive defensively, and follow the instructions of incident management teams, particularly law enforcement officials.

These simple actions can help prevent crashes and protect the lives of everyone sharing the road.

Follow @N3Route on X for regular, verified traffic updates or call the 24-hour N3 Helpline on 0800 63 43 57 to obtain emergency assistance or report problems on the N3 Toll Route between Cedara in KwaZulu- Natal and Heidelberg in Gauteng.

ENDS.

Issued by N3 Toll Concession (N3TC)