On Sunday, a man died in a car accident, while the passenger had injuries. The accident happened in Hong Kong's popular Shek O beach, wherein the car went out of control at a sharp turn before smashing a double-decker bus.
According to the South China Morning Post, the victims were on their way to Shek O. However, shortly before 12.30pm, the driver suddenly lost control of the red Honda Civic and turned right, into the counter lane. The car has been crashed into the bus running the 9 route, from Shek O to Shau Kei Wan.
The two men were reportedly trying the vehicle after its recent maintenance work.
The man is a 61-year-old driver and identified with a surname Lai. He was badly and deeply injured and unconscious when paramedics arrived at the scene. Meanwhile, the 24-year-old passenger is reportedly the nephew of the driver, he was not badly hurt. Their car has been severely damaged.
The victims were taken by an ambulance and brought to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, in Chai Wan. The driver was declared dead when he arrives at the hospital.
The windscreen of the bus was wrecked due to the accident, but there are no reported injuries on board.
The traffic becomes affected because of the accident as both lanes on a section of Shek O Road have been closed while the police officers are gathering evidence.
The section was gradually reopened.
This recent accident is at least the third fatal car crash on Shek O Road in four years. A French cyclist also died in March of last year after his bike crashed into a car. Also, two motorists died in a crash that involves four cars on the same road in September 2014. The other two drivers were arrested and later charged with dangerous driving causing death.
Just recently, a bus driver in Hong Kong was found guilty causing the death of a pedestrian. The judge rejected his excuse that he had passed out after eating cheese. According to the judge, the driver knew he was feeling unwell yet decided to continue driving. He said that the driver "disregarded the safety of other road users." The court evidence also showed a passenger noticed the driver passed out and had to wake him up after the collision.
From January to June of this year, there are 7,502 traffic-related accidents in Hong Kong, including 62 fatal ones, involving 82 deaths. In 2017, there are 15,752 traffic-related accidents, including 104 fatal ones involving 108 deaths.
