A tragic accident occurred on Tuesday morning in eastern China, when a school bus crashed into a crowd of people outside a middle school in Tai’an city, Shandong province. The incident resulted in the deaths of 11 individuals, including five students and six parents. According to state broadcaster CCTV, the driver lost control of the vehicle as it approached the school at 7:27 am local time. The bus veered off course and struck a group of parents and children who were standing on the side of the road.
As of Tuesday afternoon, one person remained in critical condition, while 12 others sustained injuries but were reported to be stable. Images circulating on social media depicted adults kneeling over children who were lying in the road, covered in blood, next to a large grey bus. Although initially unverified, AFP was able to confirm the location of the images to be the school in Shandong where the crash occurred.
Following the incident, the driver was apprehended by local police, and an investigation into the cause of the crash is underway. The tragedy occurred just days after many public schools across China reopened for the new academic year.
Deadly traffic accidents are unfortunately a frequent occurrence in China, often attributed to lax safety standards and widespread reckless driving. In July, a vehicle crashed into pedestrians in the central city of Changsha, resulting in the deaths of eight individuals and injuries to five others. The Chinese government continues to address this ongoing public safety concern.
