Dashcam footage doing the rounds online shows just how quickly things can go wrong on the N2, and how one driver’s alertness likely prevented a fatal head-on collision.
In the clip, filmed from inside a bakkie, the driver is seen overtaking a fuel tanker on a two-lane carriageway. On the opposite side, traffic is restricted to a single lane approaching a blind, sharp curve.
As the bakkie draws level with the tanker’s trailer and prepares to pass the horse, a side tipper truck suddenly appears in the bakkie’s lane. The truck is overtaking another side tipper, directly into oncoming traffic, and doing so around a blind bend.
For a split second, it looks like disaster is inevitable.
Instead of pushing through, the bakkie driver reacts instantly. He slams on brakes and drops back, creating just enough space for the recklessly overtaking side tipper to squeeze through between the tanker and the bakkie.
Had the bakkie been speeding, distracted, or hesitant to brake, the outcome could have been catastrophic. A head-on collision between a loaded side tipper and a light vehicle is bad enough. Add a fuel tanker into the mix and you’re looking at a potential inferno on one of the country’s busiest corridors.
The incident highlights a growing concern among road users about dangerous overtaking, particularly by heavy vehicles on single-lane stretches. Blind curves and solid lines exist for a reason.
This time, quick thinking prevented tragedy. Next time, we might not be so lucky.
Watch the video below.
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