It's (officially) summertime, and the traffic to the beach is building

Thousands of inland holidaymakers flocked to the KwaZulu-Natal coast as the summer holidays officially kicked off on Friday.

According to the N3 Toll Concession, 1,130 cars an hour - bound for the coast - were recorded at Mooi Plaza on the N3 highway, early on Friday.

Roads agency Sanral said it expected traffic to peak on Friday as it marked the beginning of a long weekend and the shutdown of the construction industry.

Dumisani Nkabinde, a Sanral regional manager, said the N3 between Gauteng and  KwaZulu-Natal’s coastal resorts was in good condition and no roadwork delays were expected for the festive season.

"Road users will be able to travel the entire distance without encountering roadworks or construction-related activities."

He urged drivers to be cautious when travelling.

The official death toll on the roads over the 2017/2018 festive season was 1,527.

"Let us be kind and courteous to our fellow road users and remember that road safety is a team activity - let us help each other to ease the frustrations of heavy traffic and allow everyone to arrive alive at their destinations."

Motorists can visit the Sanral website for help in planning their journeys.

Sanral has compiled a series of videos which include what routes to use, what to expect on the road, the estimated expenditure for tolls and rest spots along the way.