Video: Durban bus crash leaves 23 injured as vehicle smashes into wall
Residents say repeated warnings about reckless driving along Rick Turner Road were ignored, raising renewed calls for urgent speed-calming measures.
Less than three weeks after a resident wrote and complained to the management of Campus buses about speeding buses along Rick Turner Road, a major accident left the community shaken after a bus full of university students allegedly lost control and slammed into a nearby vehicle yesterday afternoon.
Berea Mail reports that 23 people were injured.
According to witnesses, the bus was allegedly travelling at high speed and failed to stop, hitting a Volkswagen sedan. The vehicle was pushed into a boundary wall of a nearby property, causing it to collapse.
Andrew Smith, who lives at the property, says he and his sister were not present at the time of the crash.
@caxtonlocalmedia 23 people injured after a speeding bus lost control on Rick Turner Road and crashed into a bakkie, pushing it through a boundary wall. Residents say they warned about this weeks ago. #BereaMail #CaxtonDurban #RickTurnerRoad #CampusBusCrash #DurbanNews
“I was out picking up my son from school,” says Smith. “The neighbours called me to inform me that a vehicle and a bus had crashed into my wall. I’m grateful that nobody was home at the time of the accident.”
Umbilo CPF chairperson Calvin Thomas says the bus and backie drivers were injured. He says students were injured in the collision.
“We have written several times to the bus company to inform them about buses speeding along this road. The latest was on July 24, a resident filed the complaints,” says Thomas, who called for speed-calming measures to be put in place.
“The speed limit on this road is 60km, but most drivers go past that. We have been asking for ways to slow down speedsters, but we were told no. This is a busy road; something needs to be done,” adds Thomas.
According to ALS Paramedics, 23 people, including students, were injured.
“They suffered minor to serious injuries. They were transported to various hospitals in eThekwini,” says ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jameison.
By 16:00 yesterday, the road was still closed to traffic.
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Read original story on www.citizen.co.za
