At least eight people were killed and 31 were injured after several vehicles collided on Egypt’s Ismailia desert road highway on Friday, said the health ministry spokesperson, Hossam Abdel Ghaffar.
Abdel Ghaffar told Daily News Egypt that road accidents in the country are generally high compared to other countries, although he does not know the exact ranking.
According to the state-owned Al-Ahram, the accident occurred after a bus carrying workers to a plant in the 10th of Ramadan City crashed into a truck and a private car.
In November a school bus, a lorry and a car on the Egypt–Alexandria road in Beheira governorate has left up to 18 school children killed and 18 injured.
Road accidents are a major cause of death in Egypt as roads are poorly maintained and safety regulations are poorly applied.
According to the World Health Organization, about 12,000 lose their lives due to road traffic accidents in Egypt every year.
Car accidents cause a fatality rate of 42 deaths per 100,000 of the population. In 2013, the total number of accidents in Cairo increased by 24% compared to the previous year.
