Minibus Taxi Crash in South Africa Leaves 19 Dead
ABC News is reporting that a recent accident involving a minibus taxi and a car has left 19 people dead in South Africa, as the world’s holiday accident toll continues to grow.
According to local authorities, a car carrying four passengers attempted to over take another car on a highway in the Free State when it collided head on with an oncoming minibus taxi.
“Some of the people were burned beyond recognition after the impact,” Sergeant Mmako Mophiring is quoted as saying.
All four occupants from the car and fifteen from the taxi died on the scene while nine others were transported to nearby hospitals.
The names of those who died have not been released yet.
On Monday, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) listed reckless overtaking as one of the main causes behind the over 800 deaths that have occurred on South African roads since December 1.
“Major contributory factors remain speeds too high for circumstances, especially at night and during inclement weather, drinking and driving, drinking and walking and dangerous overtaking on barrier lines in the face of coming traffic,” said RTMC spokesperson Ashref Ismail at the time.
Ismail added that road accident deaths are twice as high in South Africa as the global average.
via ABC
