HONG KONG (Reuters) – Eleven people were killed in China’s eastern Shandong province on Tuesday after a school bus lost control at a busy pedestrian intersection, state broadcaster CCTV reported. Horrific footage showed bodies lying on the road and trapped under the bus.
The accident killed six parents and five children, with one of them in critical condition. More than 20 people were injured, according to CCTV.
A car carrying students lost control at an intersection in Dongping County, Shandong Province, on Tuesday morning, the Dongping Police Department said in a statement on WeChat, adding that the incident is under investigation.
In July, a car struck pedestrians in Hunan province, killing eight people. In May, a bus carrying 45 passengers, including 39 students, collided with a truck in Jiangsu province, partly due to reckless driving.
Traffic accidents, often fatal, are common in China due to poor enforcement of traffic rules and lack of safety awareness.
China is urging measures in primary and secondary schools across the country to ensure student and school safety, including preventing campus security risks and the safe use of school buses and traffic patrols, the People’s Daily reported on Sunday.