19 Students Injured After Speeding Pickup Crashes into School Bus

A speeding pickup truck has collided with a school bus carrying 19 students in eastern Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province, several of whom are in critical condition. Witnesses said the pickup was traveling at high speeds in the opposite direction when it crashed with the school bus.

The force of the impact pushed the school bus off the road and into the surrounding forest. Several students were thrown off the vehicle.

First responders arrived on the scene promptly and transported the injured students to the hospital.

Police searched the pickup truck and discovered three bags containing 30,000 methamphetamine pills. They have detained the driver for interrogation.

School Bus Crash in Central Thailand

In March, forty-seven students and teachers were injured and the driver of their bus died when it collided with a truck in Nakhon Ratchasima.

A bus bringing 39 students and 12 staff on a field trip from Chaiyaphum province to Bangkok’s Temple of the Emerald Buddha reportedly collided with the back of a sugarcane hauling truck when it crossed into the bus lane.

Bus driver Abhisit Boonyotha, 41, was slain, and 47 passengers, including faculty and pupils ages nine to eleven, were injured. Dan Khun Thot Hospital received all of the injured patients.

The tragedy has been compared to a similar disaster that occurred in Sukhothai on March 17 of last year, killing two people and injuring over 40. That crash also occurred late at night.

The Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec) regulations prohibit student transportation at night. There are calls for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the nocturnal field trip.

Road Safety a Problem in Thailand

Thailand has a serious problem with road accidents, which kill and injure many people each year. The country has one of the world’s highest rates of road traffic fatalities. The primary causes contributing to these incidents include reckless driving, drunk driving, and a lack of basic road safety measures.

Speeding and aggressive driving practices are common on Thai roads. Many drivers disregard traffic restrictions, engaging in risky tactics such as overtaking in no-passing zones. Alcohol drinking and driving are also serious issues, particularly during festivals and vacations.

Inadequate road infrastructure, such as poorly delineated lanes, a lack of barriers, and inadequate illumination, heightens the risks. Motorists frequently overlook or ignore pedestrian facilities such as sidewalks and crosswalks.

Motorcycle accidents are especially common due to the large number of bikes on the road and riders’ failure to use basic safety gear. Head-on incidents between cars and motorbikes sometimes result in serious injury or death to the latter.

Authorities have carried out efforts to promote road safety, enforce traffic regulations, and improve road conditions. However, changing drivers’ deeply ingrained attitudes and practices remains a big obstacle in reducing Thailand’s dangerously high rate of road accidents.