In South Africa's vibrant cities, toll gates play a vital role in allowing safe travel from one province or town to another.
Unfortunately, as we get closer to Christmas and prep for those road trips - we need to be mindful of routes with toll gates. These essential junctions have become targets for toll-gate hijackings.
Despite this challenge, there are always smart solutions designed to protect yourself and your vehicle from car thieves.
Let’s find out what these are.
Living in a high-crime country such as South Africa, motorists unfortunately quickly have to learn to never let their guard down while driving, especially through certain SA streets, stopping at traffic lights, going through drive-throughs, and now sadly, even at toll gates.
As the festive season is in full force, many people will be driving to visit family or simply about to set off on their December holiday trip. Most of them will probably take a toll-gated route to reach their destinations. If you are one of these motorists, and even if you’re not, read on to equip yourself with the knowledge that could protect you and your loved ones from being the next toll-gate hijacking victim.
Ever since the toll gate hijacking incident that took place in December 2022, motorists have been on alert in the hope of avoiding becoming the next victim. The leaked CCTV clip of that incident at the Nyl toll plaza shows how three armed individuals hijacked a vehicle in broad daylight, giving you insights into how the minds of these hijackers work and how quickly it can all happen.
While authorities are doing their part to secure safe travels, this is what a Sanral spokesperson had to say when asked to comment on the growing concern over the safety of using toll gates:
“While we can reduce the motivation to commit crime by increasing our security measures at toll plazas, we cannot police someone’s intention to commit a crime. We, therefore, appeal to road users to always be vigilant and aware of threats to their security in any location,” said: Sanral spokesperson, Vusi Mona.
The South African Police Services (SAPS) reported that approximately 65 vehicles were hijacked daily in the fourth quarter of 2023/2024 and the first quarter of 2024/2025. This calls for motorists to be more vigilant and know the various hijacking trends so they don’t fall victim.
There are many different types of hijacking methods criminals use to steal your car. The hijacking method used at toll gates is known as the ‘boxing-in’ method. This is when criminals cut off both the front and back paths, leaving you trapped in the middle with nowhere to go. The same method is used at drive-throughs of fast-food restaurants and victims’ home driveways.
Regarding toll gate lanes, this method is extra effective as the vehicle would be funnelled into a narrow lane, with a few vehicles behind it and the criminal’s vehicle ahead fully blocking any forward movement.
Apart from the boxing-in method used in the toll gate incident, these are other popular hijacking methods that criminals use to gain access to your vehicles:
Motorists can actively take steps to reduce the risk of toll gate hijackings by adopting these preventive measures:
By consistently incorporating these robust security measures into your travel routine, you contribute to fostering a safer environment at toll gates.
Besides hiding your valuables and being vigilant when driving, exploring additional and advanced vehicle safety measures is always wise.
While these smart gadgets cannot prevent your vehicle from getting stolen, they can be an extra layer of security to ensure the safety of your vehicle.
While these solutions are great and each serves a purpose, if you are looking for better secure, long-term solutions that can give you a more controlled and added layer of vehicle safety, investing in a GPS vehicle tracking unit might be the smart choice for you and your vehicle.
Vehicle tracking units work to track your vehicle’s location in real-time and provide end users with vast information on their vehicles, such as the time and date of the last time your engine was active, all previous trips taken (to a certain date), the odometer and many more.
This works by installing the unit in your vehicle and using global positioning systems (GPS) to do all the hard work.
This information can all be accessible to the owner through a mobile app and can also be sent to law enforcement to aid in the tracking and retrieving of a stolen vehicle when applicable, minimising the time thieves have to dispose of or dismantle it.
Cartrack is a world leader in mobility solutions and a leading GPS and cloud-based vehicle tracking systems provider in South Africa. While there might be limited ways to get your car out of the toll gate trap, there is a way to track its whereabouts and even get it back if stolen with Cartrack’s industry-leading vehicle tracking software.
If it’s vehicle safety you’re looking for this December or any month — trust Cartrack to ensure your trips have a lot more peace of mind with their safety features, services and industry-leading expertise.
Protect your vehicle with one of the best. Contact Cartrack today.
Before hitting the road for your end-of-year trips, ensure your vehicle is equipped with extra trusted safety solutions that work. Read on to get the inside scoop on the latest hijacking trends.
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