In the past we’ve published lifesaving info on areas to avoid so that you don’t become a smash-and-grab victim. It’s not just something that can ruin your day, cause financial loss, and put you at an inconvenience. Being a victim of a hi-jacking incident can also be extremely traumatic.
Recently, it’s come to our attention that hi-jacking activity has increased. In fact, according to our research of the statistics released by the South African Police Service (SAPS), 231 hi-jacking incidents were recorded in Gauteng between April 2022 and May 2022 alone.
That’s just in 1 month, guys. 1 month.
Well, this data is enough to motivate us to update our previously published list of GP areas to avoid so that you can stay safer on the road. We don’t want anything to happen to you, your valuables, or your car, so please take care if you do happen to be driving through any of these areas. We understand that it can’t always be avoided.
Where in Gauteng NOT to go
Here’s a look at the hi-jacking hotspots to avoid in Gauteng (with more updates on spots to avoid in other parts of the country to follow).
A few of the hi-jacking hotspots in Pretoria:
- The Jean Avenue off-ramp from the R28 in Centurion.
- John Vorster Drive off-ramp for the N1 in Lyttelton.
- The Atterbury Road off-ramp from the N1 to Menlyn.
- The Lynnwood Road offramp on the N1.
- The corner of University Road and Lynnwood Road in Hatfield.
- The traffic lights along Walker Street in Sunnyside.
- Nelson Mandela Drive, Duncan Street and Walker Street in Sunnyside.
A few of the hi-jacking hotspots in Johannesburg:
- The William Nicol Drive off the N1 (coming from Sandton).
- The Jan Smuts Avenue and William Drive split in Hyde Park.
- New Road off-ramp in Midrand.
- The intersection of Christiaan de Wet Road and Wilgerood Road in Roodepoort.
- The corner of Old Pretoria Road and 1ste Avenue in Alexandra.
- All the traffic lights along Louis Botha Avenue between Alexandra and Hillbrow.
- The traffic light in Kyalami Drive.
A few other notable hotspots, marked by the SAPS:
- Bekkersdal (R28 road and N12).
- Carletonville (Blybank road and Randfontein Road).
- Fochville (corner N12 and R500).
- Randfontein (R559, R28, and N14).
The king has your back
Like we already mentioned, there are times when you simply can’t avoid being in an area noted for its high risk. When that’s the case, rely on these safety tips from the king.
Top tips to try and avoid smash-and-grabs:
- Lock it up. They might break your windows, but don’t make it any easier.
- Out of sight. Put your belongings away, under seats and in the boot.
- Just say no. We mean to anyone with flyers or pointing at your plates.
- Be on high alert at stops, intersections, and in heavy traffic.
- Go around. Never get out of your car to move an object in the road.
- Give a gap. Leave 2 or 3 gaps between your car and the next so you have room for an exit strategy.
- Slow it down. When approaching a red traffic light at night, take it slow so you can drift through it when it changes green without stopping.
And then there’s always turning to us, with our code red service. Code red is an app-based service that’ll get the closest armed response car or emergency service to you ASAP, so if you feel threatened or unsafe, you can just open up our app and hit the red button.
If you want to find out more about the king’s code red, click here. You can also check out our royal car insurance options, by clicking here or you can WhatsApp us on 0860 50 50 50.
