By; IBRAHIM ADAMU, Kaduna
Scores escaped death by the whiskers on Monday afternoon in Kaduna, as a commercial bus driver on transit through the city centre, lost control and ran into parked cars.
The accident which occured at about 3pm, just by the roundabout beside Zenith Bank in the Southern portion of the intracity highway along Kachia Road, left seven passengers injured with two critically wounded due to the impact of the crash.
Eye witnesses spoken to by our reporter who got to the scene of the accident a couple of minutes later blamed the bus driver whom they accused of excessive speeding, endangering the lives of his passengers and other road users.
Israel John who witnessed the accident accused the bus driver of speeding beyond control, saying if the bus was not on high speed, the driver could have been able to control the vehicle.
Another witness who pleaded for anonymity corroborated the account of other witnesses, adding that the bus driver must have had a break failure coupled with excessive speeding on reaching the roundabout where multiple cars were parked.
“If he were on a controllable motion,he would have maneuvered the bus not to hit the stationary vehicles.
“But he was on a breakneck speed that was beyond what he could control,thus he ran into cars, ” he said.
The bus driver who simply identified himself as Salisu denied being on a high speed at the time of impact with the parked vehicles.
He instead blamed owners of the stationary cars for parking on the highway and in an unauthorized place within the roundabout.
He said he had no break failure as other people were saying.
“I left Katsina today afternoon on our way to Lagos with full passengers, mostly businessmen with this 18-seater-bus which was in good condition.
“On getting to this roundabout, another oncoming vehicle veered onto my way, making me lose control in the process and crashing my bus onto these parked cars on the way, “he stated.
Owner of a Toyota Sienna sedan which was badly damaged by the impact exonerated self from any blame, saying he did not leave the vehicle on the way.
He also accused the bus driver of speeding beyond control, adding that the accident would have been fatal but God’s intervention saved the situation.
Sector commander of Federal Road Safety Corps Kabiru Yusuf Nadabo who was on time at the scene of the accident to supervise evacuation of the injured to St. Gerard Hospital where the wounded were taken to, counselled drivers to adhere strictly to safety measures and maintain minimal speed so that they could be in control of their vehicles in an emergency situation.
He reiterated commitment of the corps under his command to patrol and enforce safety regulations for safety of lives and safer highways.
