Bus in Malaysia crash that killed 15 university students was doing 115kmh in 60kmh zone: Report
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The crash on June 9, 2025, involved 42 students, a bus driver, an attendant and four occupants of another vehicle.
PHOTO: INFO.SEMASA/FACEBOOK
PETALING JAYA – A combination of many factors, including mechanical and human, led to the bus crash in Gerik that killed 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris students
According to a report made publicly available on the Malaysian Transport Ministry’s website at 3pm on Jan 23, the accident was caused by a combination of mechanical, human, environmental and organisational factors.
The report read: “The bus’ braking system was contaminated and inconsistent, combined with driving at speeds exceeding safe limits, led to a loss of vehicle control.
“Challenging road conditions, weaknesses in the design and installation of road barriers and the structural failure of the bus cabin further increased the severity of the impact and the resulting injuries.”
In addition, there were illegal operating practices, non-compliance with safety requirements and weaknesses in regulation and enforcement, which reflect systemic issues within the tourism transport industry, the report said.
It added: “All of these factors collectively contributed to this tragic incident and underscore the need for comprehensive improvements to enhance passenger safety and restore public confidence in the road transport system.”
The report said the vehicle’s brakes were compromised due to deformation and wear of the rear left brake drum, as well as contamination of grease on the brake lining and inconsistencies in the composition of the lining material.
“These conditions reduced braking friction and accelerated brake fade,” it said.
It was also found that the bus was travelling above the speed limit and did not have dashboard cameras or Global Positioning System devices installed.
“Kinematic analysis, together with dashcam footage from another vehicle, estimated the bus’ speed entering the curve at 114.7kmh,” the report said, adding that the speed limit for the stretch was 60kmh.
The crash on June 9, 2025, involved 48 people, comprising 42 students, a bus driver, an attendant and four occupants of another vehicle. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
