A reckless overtaking manoeuvre by a side tipper truck driver on the N4’s notorious Schoemanskloof section nearly ended in disaster after a bakkie was forced off the road to avoid a head-on collision.
The shocking incident which happened on Saturday afternoon was captured on dashcam footage recorded from a bakkie travelling along the route.
In the video, a Ford bakkie can be seen illegally overtaking both the recording vehicle and a side tipper truck ahead of it. Moments later, a Vervey Vervoer side tipper driver attempts to follow the Ford’s lead despite the road being divided by a solid continuous line and on a bend where overtaking is prohibited.
As the side tipper moves into the oncoming lane, an approaching truck suddenly appears around the bend. Realising there is insufficient space to complete the manoeuvre safely, the driver forces his way back into the correct lane.
With nowhere else to go, the recording bakkie driver is forced to brake heavily and swerve off the road to avoid being struck by the truck returning to the lane. Fortunately, no collision occurs, and both vehicles continue their journeys.
What makes the incident even more alarming is that the same driver repeats the behaviour just two minutes later. The footage shows the side tipper attempting another dangerous overtake, this time across double solid continuous lines, again on a section where overtaking is prohibited.
On both occasions, serious head-on crashes were avoided by mere seconds as oncoming trucks appeared shortly after the reckless manoeuvres began.
The Schoemanskloof Pass section of the N4 has long been associated with severe and often fatal truck crashes, making it a stretch of road where drivers are expected to exercise extreme caution.
Whether the driver was rushing to a loading point or trying to arrive earlier at an offloading destination, there is no justification for risking lives on a public road. A truck driver without patience can become a danger not only to themselves but to every road user around them.
The dashcam footage serves as a stark reminder of how quickly poor decisions behind the wheel can lead to tragedy.
Watch the dashcam footage below:
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