Johannesburg - Which provinces are the worst affected by hijackings and theft? What time of day do criminals operate the most? Vehicle theft and hijackings are a sad, and all too often grim, reality of South Africa's roads.

Vehicle tracking and recovery experts, C-track, sent us crime statistics in a presentation focusing on 'Hijacking and vehicle theft'. C-Track has provided stats for January 2017 though its data also highlights crime trends through Jan - Dec 2016.

Working with Arrive Alive, the company has revealed hijacking hotspots as well as the top vehicles targeted by criminals. We've also included data from Pro-Active South Africa, a company that reveals worst affected areas in SA.

Hijacking hotspots: Most targeted cars, bakkies in SA

Johan Jonck, editor of Arrive Alive, said: "We believe that an informed road user is a safer road user. With the rise in car-jackings/ hijackings in South Africa, it's important to assist our road users with information to keep them alert and vigilant to the threats on our roads.

"Data such as this from C-track and the other vehicle recovery companies dealing with these crimes daily, offers further insights to where and when these crimes are committed. Our roads will be safer when we all drive with an increased safety awareness."

View the full presentation by clicking on the images below.

Worst provinces affected by hijacking and theft:

READ: Hijacking hotspots in SA: Joburg, Pretoria, Cape Town & Durban

Vehicle solutions company, Pro-Active South Africa, claims its new technology could have a serious impact on the recent 14% increase in hijacking in SA.

The table contains data pertaining to hijackings in high-risk areas throughout SA and may not reflect those of other areas. The National Hijack Prevention Academy of SA confirms that most hijackings occur between 4am-8am and 4pm-8pm as indicated below but that the numbers could be much higher than the data Pro-Active has provided.

We've added high risk areas and times below:

Schutte says: "This information goes to 137 security service providers and enforcers. After a hijacking, you enter your location on a PC,or use the GPS co-ordinates on your smartphone, and within 7 seconds your information is circulated to a closed network.

"When people are hijacked, from the time when the hijackers leave, until the time the police come, until the time the info is circulated, at least an hour lapses. Do you think that car is anywhere to be seen? It is gone, long ago,” says Schutte.

READ: Hijack prevention - Top 11 life-saving tips

“With this app everyone can equip themselves with the tools to respond to a hijacking as quickly as possible. It is an empowering app which could have a powerful effect for the 40 victims of hijackings everyday in South Africa. It is our civic duty to apprehend hijackers that much faster."

According to statistics, South Africa loses over R8.5-billion to vehicle theft and hijacking. Of the vehicles stolen, 57% are taken across the border, 36% filter back into South Africa as cloned vehicles and the rest land in chop shops. The contribution of real-time intelligence could help lower these statistics.

The potential of this new technology is far reaching. “The effective distribution of information on vehicle theft and hijackings can even help lower the number of other crimes like house burglaries, armed robberies and cash-in-transit heists. This can benefit all South Africans as the apprehension of suspects will have a snowball effect on other forms of crime and possibly save a life.”

Hijacking hotspots based on Wheels24 reader information: Click on view 'larger map' (far right icon) for more information

Full list below:

Antoinette Doherty: Hotspots in Vereeniging

Union Street, Vereening

c/o of Johannesburg and Houtkap Road at the Mitco Bridge

Jan van Riebeeck Street

c/o Voortrekker Street and Market Avenue

c/o Voortrekker Street and Beaconsfiled Avenue

c/o Union Street and Victoria Avenue traffic lights

Most of Vereenging CBD is hotspot.

: Old Main Road in Pinetown is a hotspot for hijacking, me having being the victim on two occasions in the last 3 months.

In Capetown at Mewway Road near TR squatter camp towards N2 highway.

Erasmus Hebron Road to Morula Sun from Rosslyn, Pretoria

Garankuwa all zones.

N2 off ramp to M41 going to Gateway Theatre of Shopping at the intersection.

Delft, Symphony Way Robots outside Cape Town.

Langa, Philippi at Browns farm area.

Off ramp N7 / Plattekloof Road - both directions

Ahammed Zahidul: Bree Street c/o Sauer Street (front of Bree taxi rank). Newtown, Jhb CBD.

The 14th Avenue off ramp in Roodepoort a super hot spot.

Borcherds Quarry / N2 intersection, to CPT Airport. This spot has daily smash-n-grabs, inclusive of robbery, gun-butting in faces of victims, hijack at gun-point attempts.

Corner of Lansdowne road and Emms Drive, Nyanga East.

Original map by Arrive Alive:

Hijacking Hotspots - Cape Town:

• Voortrekker Road between Bellville and Parow.

• Corner of Military Road and Prince George Drive.

• Be alert when driving along St Stephens Road.

• Be alert when driving along Alice Street, especially near Voortrekker Road.

• Be alert when travelling along Station Road.

• Be alert when travelling along Klipfontein Road.

Prestwich Road, Ebenhezer

• The corner of Prestwich Road and Ebenhezer.

• Be alert when travelling along Vangaurd Drive.

R300, N1

• Beware when travelling on the R300 under the bridges towards the N1 highway.

Beyers Naude Drive, Paul Kruger Street

• Beyers Naude Drive and Paul Kruger Street.

• The R55 in Erasmia.

• Be alert at the following streets, Burnett Street, Delfi Avenue and Garsfontein Road.

• Be aware at traffic lights on Stormvoel.

• Be aware at traffic lights on Watermeyer Street.

• Be alert at traffic lights on Nelson Mandela Drive.

• The crossing at Lynwood Road and Simon Vermooten.

• The crossing at Lynwood Road and Hans Strijdom.

• Be alert at traffic lights on Walker Street.

• Be alert at traffic lights on Duncan Street.

• The corner of University Road and Lynwood Road.

• The Rigel Avenue off ramp from off the N1.

• The Simon Vermooten Road crossing with Pretoria Street.

• The Simon Vermooten Road crossing with Farrow Street.

• The Simon Vermooten Road crossing with Lynwood Road.

• The Lynwood Road on ramp from the N1.

• The Hans Strydom off ramp off the N4 highway.

• The intersection between Hans Strijdom and the R21.

• The Atterbury off ramp off the N1.

• Be alert at crossings by Pretorius Street.

• The crossing at Schoeman Street and Duncan.

• The crossing at Schoeman Street and Hilda.

• The crossing at Schoeman Street and Grosvenor.

Hijacking hotspots - Johannesburg:

• The corner of Kelvin Street and CR Swart.

• The corner of Pretoria Road and CR Swart.

• The corner of Elgin Road and Pretoria Road.

• Linksfield Road off ramp off the N3.

• Booysens Road off ramp off the M1.

• The Nelson Mandela Bridge, be alert.

• Wolmarans between Claim and Nugget.

• The corner of Harrow and Saratoga.

• The corner of Harrow and Abel.

• The Houghton Drive off ramp off the M1.

• The corner of Jan Smuts Avenue and St Andrews.

•The corner of 17th Street and Krause Street in Pageview.

• The Heidelberg Road Off ramp off the N17.

• Traffic lights on Kyalami Drive.

• The Beyers Naude offramp off the N1 highway.

• Rivonia off ramp off the N1 highway in Sunninghill.

• Midrand road near Clayville Residents.

• The intersection of Grayston and Rivonia and the intersection of Grayston and 11th Street.

• 11th Avenue and Empire Road off ramps.

• The Jan Smuts Avenue/ William Nicol Drive split in Hyde Park.

• Intersections on Witkoppen Road.

• Bramley Precinct, areas such as Wynberg, Bramley, Marlboro and Kew.

• Yeoville Precinct, areas such as Yeoville,Bellevue and Bellevue East.

• The Norwood Precinct, areas such as Orange Grove and Highlands.

• The Sandringham Precinct, areas such as Glenhazel, Lombardy East and Sandringham.

• The Parkview Precinct, areas between 10th and 11th avenue and 4th and 7th Avenue in Parkhurst.

• The Hillbrow Precinct, areas such as Upper Houghton and Killarney.

• The Rosebank Precinct, areas such as Saxonwold and Parkwood.

• The intersection between Christiaan de Wet and Wilgerood road in Roodepoort.

• Louis Botha Avenue, the M11. Be aware at the traffic lights, especially between Hillbrow and Alexandra.

• Riviera off ramp coming off the M1.

• 11th Avenue in Fairland, near Fairland Ex. 6.

• The corner of Pretoria Main road and 1st Avenue in Alexandra.

• New road off ramp coming off the N1, be aware at the traffic lights.

• William Nichol off ramp coming off the N1 highway.

• Be aware along Alpine Road.

• Be aware of crossings on West Street.

• The corner of Warwick Avenue and Smith Street.

For more information, visit Pro-Active South Africa.