More die in traffic accidents

JAKARTA (JP): The Idul Fitri death toll has increased to 61 after at least eleven people were killed in crashes Tuesday and yesterday.

Five people died and nine others were critically injured when two passenger buses collided head on early yesterday in Pesantun village, Brebes regency, Central Java. Some of the passengers were travelers from Bekasi and Jakarta on their way to their hometowns, Antara reported.

Police said the accident was caused by "human error"; witnesses said that one of the buses had been speeding.

Separately, three children died in hospital after their family car swerved late Tuesday and hit two parked cars at kilometer 50 on the Cikampek toll road in eastern Karawang, West Java.

Anisa, aged 5, Soleha, 3, and Amanda, 3 months, died at the Bayu Karta Hospital where their parents and relatives are still being treated. Antara reported that Suyud Sumitro, who drove the car traveling from Jakarta, lost control of the vehicle because its brakes failed.

Police said 16 people suffered various injuries after a Pribumi Raya passenger bus overturned at kilometer 42 on the same road in western Karawang.

Reports from North Sumatra said that three people died and eleven others were injured after a Sanggul Mas passenger bus hit a minibus in Sipoholon Tarutung, 286 kilometers from the capital city Medan, late Tuesday.

Police blamed reckless driving. One of those who died was a three-month-old baby, Ucok.

Separately, police officer Suherlan from the Purwakarta police precinct in West Java had to be rushed to the Kramat Jati Hospital's intensive care unit in East Jakarta after he was hit by a car Sunday. His right leg and left hand were broken. (swe)