Early Morning Chaos on the M13

A routine school run turned into a nightmare for ten children in KwaZulu-Natal on Friday morning when a truck rear-ended their taxi on the Durban-bound M13, near the Kassier off-ramp close to Hillcrest.

According to ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson, the call came just after 7:15am, reporting multiple casualties. “Paramedics arrived to find chaos at the scene. A school taxi had been hit from behind, leaving several children injured,” Jamieson said.

Immediate Response

Emergency services quickly escalated the response. Additional ambulances and advanced life support paramedics were dispatched to stabilise the young victims. Once treated on-site, the injured children were transported to various Durban hospitals for further care.

Jamieson confirmed that while the children’s injuries varied, no fatalities were reported. “The focus was on rapid stabilisation and safe transport to medical facilities,” he added.

Investigations Underway

The cause of the accident remains unclear, with Metro Police on site to investigate. Authorities are working to determine how the truck came to collide with the taxi and whether road conditions, speed, or vehicle issues played a role.

A Pattern of Taxi Accidents in KZN

This crash is sadly not isolated. Last month, 20 people were injured in a collision involving two minibus taxis on the N3 Pietermaritzburg-bound, near the Brickfield off-ramp. Paramedics responded to the chaotic scene, stabilising patients before transporting them to Durban hospitals.

Incidents like these highlight ongoing concerns about road safety for schoolchildren and public transport users in the province.

Social Media Reacts

Local residents expressed shock and concern online. Many parents called for stricter enforcement of traffic regulations around school transport, with hashtags like #SafeSchoolTransport and #KZNRoadSafety trending briefly on Twitter.

One Hillcrest resident wrote, “These kids are our future. How are trucks and taxis allowed to share roads with children every morning without stricter oversight?”

A National Safety Concern

KwaZulu-Natal’s spate of taxi accidents, including a fatal crash on the East Rand last week, underlines the pressing need for improved safety protocols. In that Alberton incident, two people were killed after being ejected from their vehicle, with two more hospitalised.

Experts argue that better driver training, stricter road regulations, and enforcement around school transport routes are essential to prevent such tragedies from recurring.

The investigation into the M13 school taxi crash is ongoing, with police appealing to anyone with dashcam footage or eyewitness information to come forward. In the meantime, parents and local communities are left anxiously waiting for answers, hoping for the swift recovery of the injured children.

{Source: The Citizen}

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