24 bus passengers injured on tollroad

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)