More footage from Wednesday’s horrific crash on Highway 2000 has been obtained. The crash claimed the lives of five people and left 15 others nursing injuries. Preliminary reports say a Toyota Hiace full of passengers was travelling in the eastbound lane around 3:00 pm when a tyre blew out, according to initial reports.
As a result, the bus lost control, crashed into the guardrail and flipped several times, landing in a ditch. The chaotic scene was captured by onlookers, showing people lying on the ground, some motionless. Additional footage shows people tending to the injured, people calling for help, some crying in pain, and others with visible head and leg injuries. A child was also involved in the crash, and onlookers helped to carry the child away.
The crash happened just a few hundred metres before the Vineyard Toll Booth along the PJ Patterson Highway. Dr Lucien Jones, vice chair of the National Road Safety Council, said while preliminary reports point to the tyre, investigators are also looking into whether speed may have played a role before the minivan struck the guard rail and overturned.
Dr Jones noted that the loss of life comes at a time when the nation was already grappling with recent sorrow. He expressed concern that the sudden spike in fatalities serves as another urgent reminder about road safety. While not assigning blame, he emphasised the importance of simple but critical actions, staying within speed limits, ensuring vehicles are in proper condition, and promoting responsible driving habits.
He also highlighted the need for continued enforcement of the Road Traffic Act, including the merit point system, as a tool to encourage safer driving. “The police are going to continue the investigation to find out precisely what caused it,” he said, calling the event “a terrible tragedy” and stressing that road safety must remain a national priority.
