Six die as learner driver fails to stop

Six people were left dead and three others injured when a car allegedly failed to yield at an intersection and collided side-on with a truck.

Emergency services raced to the accident at the Drie­fontein turn-off between Lady­smith and Newcastle, on the N11 on Wednesday.

According to police sources, it is believed that the driver of a grey Toyota Cressida sped through a stop-street without yielding, and the truck collided side-on with the vehicle at a high speed.

It is further alleged that the driver only had a learner’s driving licence.

It is believed the vehicle was travelling from Burford to Ladysmith, where the occupants lived.

Six of the seven people in the car died on impact; two of them were men and four were women.

According to KZN EMS spokesperson Robert McKenzie, paramedics rushed to treat the three people who survived the initial impact of the collision.

One of the patients, a woman from the car, was left critically injured and the two men, who were occupants of the truck, sustained serious and minor injuries respectively.

The cause of the crash is being investigated by the police.

Acting MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison Sibongiseni Dhlomo on Wednesday expressed his “shock” after learning of the incident.

Dhlomo also expressed concern at the growing number of mass casualty accidents: “It is indeed devastating to learn of the accident that has claimed the lives of six people this morning near Ladysmith. This accident follows one that happened in Bulwer last month and took the lives of eight people.

“Respecting road rules is a sure way to saving lives on our roads”, Dhlomo said.