BUS RUNS AMOK DAMAGES 13 CARS
Filed under News
March 3, 2010: A brand new Chinese manufactured bus lost control at the Debum Lam in Hongkong market yesterday and crashed unto motor vehicles parked by the roadside, leaving behind a trail of damaged cars.
The accident that took place around 2.15 pm left altogether 13 vehicles damaged, of which an alto taxi, a Maruti 800 car and a Prado car were severely damaged. The bus however suffered minor damage on the front side. The bus is owned by a private company in Thimphu.
Three people injured in the accident – the driver of the Maruti car, the Alto taxi and the bus driver – were rushed to the hospital immediately.
The taxi driver sustained minor cuts and was discharged after a few hours of medical examination. The Maruti car driver did not suffer any external injuries but complained of giddiness and was kept under observation at the hospital. The 24-year-old bus driver was in critical condition and was still unconscious at the time of filing this report.
The cause of the accident has not been confirmed.
Eyewitnesses however said probably the accident occurred due to brake failure as the bus driver was frantically shouting and honking before the bus slammed unto the cars.
An eye witness said the bus was in full speed and the driver was honking and trying to veer the vehicle away from the crowd. “It first hit an alto taxi and then went on hitting other vehicles until it came to a halt after smashing unto a Prado car,” he said.
Such was the speed of the bus that the Prado car was propelled some 6 meters away from the place where it was parked.
The Thimphu traffic police division however denied that the accident could have been caused by mechanical malfunction. They said the bus was brand new and in perfect condition dismissing mechanical errors as the cause of the accident. The Traffic Division said the accident could be caused either due to reckless or inexperienced driving.
However, at the time of filing this report, the police were yet to take the statement of the driver as he was not in a condition to give one.
People at the accident scene said it was fortunate the accident occurred at a time when there were fewer people in the streets. “Had the accident occurred during the rush hour or when school children were on the move, the consequences could have been disastrous,” said one.
An appalled Rebika, a pan shop owner in Hongkong market, said had it not been for the Prado car, the bus could have plunged into her shop. “The bus could have killed me,” she said.
Other eyewitnesses said the traffic authorities should not allow heavy vehicles to ply in the main streets.
“The area in Hongkong market is always crowded and the road along here is narrow and sloping,” said an eyewitness, Mohan. “This incident is an eye opener to the authorities and we hope that necessary actions will be taken hereafter.”
A few others said the parking areas along the narrow thoroughfare need to be regulated properly.
While an accident of such magnitude is the first of its type in the capital, the Traffic Division said there had been a similar case last year in which four parked vehicles were damaged because of unlicensed driving.
source: Bhutan Today
