At least 17 people are dead and more than 60 injured after two buses collided along a highway in the southern Andean region of Cusco, state news agency Andina reported.
The accident occurred on Wednesday evening in the Quispicanchi province when an inter-provincial bus registered to the Copacabana transport company traveling from Puno to Cusco crashed into the back of a bus from the Oriental company, which had stopped on the side of the road to pick up passengers.
The driver from the Copacabana bus reportedly lost control. The bus dropped off the mountain road and violently flipped over until it crashed into the Vilcanota river. Survivors say the accident was due to speed and recklessness.
Police initially said 10 people had been killed in the accident but later recovered seven more bodies. Officer Jorge Navarro told Andina five people are still missing. He said 61 people were hurt in the accident, including 10 that are seriously injured.
In Peru – where the high number of severe car and bus accidents is notorious – many of the vehicles are old, drivers reckless, and the roads often in a bad state. In the past several years, an average of 3,500 people died and 40,000 others were injured every year as a result of car or bus accidents.
In January the Ministry of Transportation and Communications received a $150 million loan from the World Bank for a project aimed at improving more than 1,300 miles of Peru’s highways.
It is from my observation that the Bus drivers that provide public transit between town are reckless. This news story doesn’t come as a surprise. In America we deal with distracted public transit drivers on their cell phones. I peru I believe the public bus drivers are too familiar and comfortable with the routes and are under pressure to finish their route faster. They continue to push the envelop of their large vehicle past the point of being able to recognize a hazard and avoid it. It is true that some roads are in need of repair and need landing pads for buses to stop off the main road. However, I think the root of the problem lies with the management not stressing safety, poor safety training, and the lack of checks on the driver’s performance. A possible solution would be the installation of GPS tracking/ monitoring systems on some of the busses. instal a fake gps monitor or real gps tracker in every bus. if speed is exceeded in dangerous areas follow with a disciplinary response
This is a terrible accident but fortunately for some of the survivors a rafting tour bus arrived at the scene shortly after the accident and all the guides who are also trained in first aid entered the water to save passengers. Thank you to those guys for their selfless act.