Investigators search for cause of bus crash
Published: Thursday, Mar 28th 2024, 05:40
Updated At: Thursday, Mar 28th 2024, 06:30
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Following the serious bus accident with four fatalities and over 30 injuries on the Autobahn 9 near Leipzig, the focus is now shifting to investigating the cause of the accident. "First of all, numerous witness interviews have to be conducted. This will of course take some time," said a police spokeswoman.
The double-decker Flixbus left the road on Wednesday morning, ran over the grass verge and flipped onto its side. The police reported 4 fatalities, 6 serious injuries and 29 people with minor injuries. The identification of the dead was not yet complete on Wednesday.
According to the bus company, the driver of the bus is said to have complied with all driving and rest times. "There were two drivers on board, the driver on duty had been driving the bus since it left Berlin at 8 a.m.," it said. According to the police, he is not among the dead. No details were given about his state of health.
The bus with more than 50 passengers and two drivers had crashed on its way from Berlin to Zurich. It had set off at 8.00 a.m. and the accident happened between the Wiedemar junction and the Schkeuditzer Kreuz junction at around 9.45 a.m. According to initial findings, no other vehicle was involved. The A9, an important north-south route between Berlin and Munich, was fully closed around the accident site for twelve hours - until around 9.30 p.m. on Wednesday evening.
There have been a number of serious coach accidents in recent years. Nevertheless, coaches are a comparatively safe means of transportation. According to accident statistics, they are comparatively rarely involved in road accidents with personal injury.
"Nevertheless, cases in which accidents occur are often dramatic because the number of people affected can be high," said an ADAC spokesperson. According to the data, a total of eight people died in bus accidents inside and outside built-up areas in 2022 - a figure that is not unusual in a long-term comparison.
The ADAC pointed out that seat belts have been compulsory in coaches since 1999. "It is not clear whether and how the individual companies check whether passengers are wearing their seat belts," said the spokesperson. Coach travelers are generally recommended to fasten their seat belts. According to the ADAC, coaches have also had to be equipped with a lane departure warning system since 2022. It was not initially known whether the bus involved in the accident had one. Such a system warns the driver, but does not prevent them from actually leaving the lane if they do not steer in the opposite direction.
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