On Sunday afternoon a car carrying seven passengers collided head-on with a bus, causing three deaths at the scene. Police later found a deadly concoction of alcohol and stimulant drinks in the Volkswagen Gol.
The accident occurred in Merlo, in the Buenos Aires province, towards 7pm. Witnesses revealed that the car was on the wrong side of the road, and travelling at a dangerously high speed.
On impact with the 236 bus, the male driver and two women were thrown from the vehicle, dying instantly. The fourth victim died on the way to hospital. The other three passengers remain hospitalised, but their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
The bus, which had just begun its route, had only one passenger. Along with the driver, he suffered no injuries.
Another driver from the same company, Línea 216, revealed that just moments earlier he had to avoid a “zigzagging” car, which matched the description of the Gol.
Buenos Aires was subject to heavy rain over the weekend which left the roads very wet. Local firemen told how the roads on Route 1003, Merlo were in poor condition.
Argentina continues to have an alarmingly high rate of road deaths. In 2007, there were 28.5 fatalities per 100,000 citizens, and the number for 2008 is thought to be a new record. To illustrate the danger on Argentine roads, the UK has a rate of just 5.4 car accident deaths per 100,000.
