24 bus passengers injured on tollroad

JAKARTA (JP): About 24 people were injured in a bus accident on the Jagorawi toll road near Cibubur, East Jakarta, on Wednesday.

The driver, who was allegedly sleepy, escaped and disappeared.

When the bus from the Kampung Rambutan terminal reached kilometer 17 of the 50-km highway at around 8:20 a.m., it began to swerve around on the road, a survivor said.

Matohir, 42, said he saw the driver swing the wheel to the left as he tried to control the bus, to the alarm of its 40 passengers.

The bus belonging to the Kosub company, serving the Kampung Rambutan-Cileungsi route, East Jakarta, then spun around and overturned, shattering all the windows.

An official with the toll road operator Jasa Marga, Ahmadi, said, "The conductor, who was not hurt, said the driver was sleepy."

In Wednesday's accident, about half of the passengers escaped unhurt, while the injured were helped by officials from the toll road operator Jasa Marga.

Twenty four victims were taken to the hospitals of the Indonesian Christian University in Cililitan and Bina Husada in Cibinong, both in East Jakarta.

About eight victims suffered serious injuries, including fractured bones and wounds to the head but four were released from hospital on the same day.

A survivor, Gesmalia who suffered broken ribs, said she always takes the same bus to her office which is in Gunung Putri, Bogor, adding that there were many other regular passengers.

This year's data from Jasa Marga reveals that 207 accidents have occurred on the Jagorawi highway between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31 resulting in 16 fatalities, 424 injuries and 291 wrecked vehicles.

The data shows that 57 percent of the accidents were caused by human error, including carelessness and sleep deprivation, while another 38 percent were the result of flat tires.

The bus company will arrange for insurance coverage of medical expenses. (07)