Busamed launches N3 safety campaign to curb Easter weekend road deaths

In an effort to promote road safety and provide rapid emergency medical support over the high-risk Easter weekend, the Busamed Private Hospital Group will launch a large-scale awareness and visibility campaign along the N3 corridor, with key activations taking place on Thursday, 17 April and Monday, 21 April 2025 at the Engen Bergview 1 Stop in Harrismith, and at Engen Mooi 1 Stop in Mooi River.

South African highways are more congested than ever, and accidents and fatalities for Easter are on the rise. Tens of thousands of additional passenger and transport vehicles are taking to the roads, and record numbers of vacationers are expected to travel to various holiday hotspots this year. Over the previous Easter period, a staggering 335 people lost their lives on the road – 32.9% higher than the year before. And while half of crashes involved another vehicle or object, the risk for pedestrians is equally high, with nearly 50% of crashes involving them.

Busamed Group Marketing Manager Taryn Laas says, “Busamed, in partnership with various local and national stakeholders, hopes to reduce the number of incidents this Easter by reminding motorists to practice safe and responsible driving habits.”

Making motorists think twice

“Awareness is key,” she says. “The best deterrent to unsafe driving is often simply reminding motorists of the dangers. Visible road safety operations have proven incredibly effective in the past. Drivers tend to sit up, slow down, and concentrate more on road conditions and actions of other drivers when there’s elevated police, traffic, and emergency response vehicle presence on busy roads up and down to the coast.”

On Thursday and Monday, Busamed will be joined by Rocket HEMS, East Coast Radio, the N3 Toll Concession, local tow-truck operators, and CPF members for an awareness campaign on the N3 between Johannesburg and Durban. Rocket HEMS will station a Bell air ambulance beside the highway at Engen Bergview 1 Stop for maximum visibility, alongside a number of other emergency response vehicles and personnel.

Additionally, in partnership with East Coast Radio, Busamed will host a ‘Spot the Helicopter’ competition, offering a R3,000 prize each to three winners. Participants must submit a photo of the helicopter, along with their name, surname, contact details, and vehicle registration via email to N3TRAVEL@BUSAMED.CO.ZA. Only passengers or parked drivers may participate for safety reasons. East Coast Radio will also provide sponsored traffic updates for the N3 during this time.

Busamed says it’s ready for the weekend. It operates seven state-of-the-art private hospitals nationwide, with key locations in Gauteng, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and the Western Cape. These hospitals specialise in cardiology, surgery, maternity and medical care, with the aim of providing premium care with a personal touch at all times.

According to Laas, the hospital group decided to embark on this initiative to help raise awareness and lower accident rates over this period. This is in effort to empower our communities to lead healthier and more fulfilled lives.

“This is the first, but certainly not the last, of these awareness events that Busamed will participate in. The group is celebrating its 10th year of operation in 2025, and we have big plans to make an even greater impact on the lives of South Africa in the coming months and years,” notes Laas.