South Africa has the 10th longest road network in the world, which covers 750,000 km.5 Highways are important for any country and South Africa is no different. These roads are the lifeblood of the economy on which trucks and cars navigate daily. Much of South Africa’s goods are transported on highways via trucks. Many people spend time on our highways, whether it is a holiday trip or the daily commute to work.
Are you planning a new trip along SA’s highways for a holiday or work trip? Are there some new road names on the route that you’ve never heard before? What do these freeway names mean?
South Africa’s highways are well looked after and usually well-lit. However, drivers should be mindful of potholes as well as pedestrians crossing highways at night. Additionally, in some areas, wild animals or livestock are also known to cross these roads.
Highways and Road Safety8
Traffic police patrol these roads for motorists’ safety while other private companies and insurers provide roadside assistance, in case your car breaks down. Some of SA’s highways or sections of these roads are tolled. When driving on the highways, please make sure to obey all the rules of the road for your safety and the safety of other motorists.
Be especially careful when driving in bad weather on highways. Keep a safe following distance. Arrive Alive refers to the ‘2-3 Second Rule’, which means that a driver should take note of a landmark along the road and count to 2 to 3 seconds starting from when the vehicle in front passes this landmark. If your vehicle has not yet passed this landmark in that time, then there is probably enough following distance. In bad weather, you should count between 5 and 6 seconds to accurately gauge the following distance from the cars driving in front of you. Slow down as needed when driving during bad weather on the freeway.
National Highway Names2,3,6
National highways which span multiple provinces, start with the letter “N”. 1 These roads are familiar to those who have travelled to other provinces. For example, the N1 highway will take you from the border of Zimbabwe all the way to Cape Town, which covers a total of 1,929 km. The longest national highway in South Africa is the N2, which is 2,225 km long. The N2 runs along the coast of South Africa from Cape Town to Ermelo. These national highways are then numbered from 1 to 20.
Metropolitan Highway Names4
Metropolitan highways start with an “M”. For example, the M1 highway is a major artery in Johannesburg. In some cases, an appendix is added to these names. For example, the letter “S” after “M1” refers to the southern section of the M1 highway.
Regional Highway Names6
Road names that start with an “R” refer to regional highways, which are, in other words, provincial highways. For example, the R59 spans much of Gauteng. Provincial highways are numbered from R21 to R99. Regional highways within the Free State are numbered from R700 to R799. Regional highways in Cape Town are numbered from R300 to R499. Regional highways within the former Transvaal region are numbered from R500 to R599. Regional highways in KwaZulu-Natal are numbered from R600 to R699.
How are Highway Off-ramps Named? 7
Highway off-ramp names often include names as well as numbers. Often off-ramps include an area name as well. For example, the N3 Germiston off-ramp will take you to the Germiston city once you leave the N3 highway.
Now you know more about our highways.
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Disclaimer:
This article was prepared by Eric Sandmann in his personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the views and opinions of Prime Meridian Direct (Pty) Ltd, FSP41040. The views and opinions in the article should not be attributed to anyone but the author unless expressly stated. Nothing in this article should be relied upon as advice, this publication is presented for informational purposes only. No person should act or refrain from acting in reliance on any information found in this article, without first obtaining proper financial advice from the appropriate professional. The author makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, or completeness, of any information linked from, referred to, or contained in this article. The author reserves the right, to edit and change the content of this article.
Sources:
1https://risingsunlenasia.co.za/32950/what-do-n1-m2-and-r54-road-signs-mean/
2https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N1_(South_Africa)
3https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N2_(South_Africa)
4https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1_(Johannesburg)
5http://www.transport.gov.za/roads
6https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numbered_routes_in_South_Africa
7https://wiki.waze.com/wiki/South_Africa/Naming_Ramps
8https://www.arrivealive.co.za/news.aspx?s=1&i=35485&page=Safe-Following-distances-and-road-safety