At least 17 people were killed and five others sustained injuries after a speeding minibus collided with a bus parked along a motorway in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Monday. The tragic incident occurred near the Mardan district on the Swat Expressway, according to news agency PTI.
Details of the Accident
The passenger minibus crashed into a bus that had reportedly been stationed on the roadside due to a mechanical fault. The parked bus was carrying passengers traveling towards the scenic Swat Valley when the collision took place. Rescue officials and police personnel rushed to the spot immediately after the crash.
Preliminary Findings
Shah Fahad, director-general of Rescue 1122 emergency services, stated that preliminary findings pointed towards driver negligence as the likely cause of the accident, as reported by the Associated Press. Rescue teams shifted the injured and the bodies of the deceased to a nearby hospital for treatment and identification.
Context of Road Safety in Pakistan
Road accidents remain frequent in Pakistan due to poor road infrastructure, reckless driving, and weak implementation of traffic safety regulations. This incident highlights the ongoing challenges in ensuring road safety in the region.
