In the accompanying dramatic footage, we see the what occurred last week, leading to the accident involving a bus in Betar Illit. Nine persons were injured in the accident caused by a driver looking elsewhere for a moment (at his phone earpiece), subsequently losing control of the bus, which we see heads onto the sidewalk, causing people to flee to safety.
The bus was traveling at a considerable seed and only came to a halt after striking a bus stop. A 15-year-old girl was seriously injured, a 19-year-old moderately injured, and seven others with light injury.
One can view the video showing the bus driver busying himself with earphones and a mobile phone while operating the bus. The videos were released by Israel News12. One sees the rapidly traveling bus jump the curb and head towards pedestrians who flee in fear.
The accident occurred on last Thursday at about 3:15PM. Police received calls for an accident involving two buses, and Magen David Adom reported treating nine victims.
Hadassah Hospital spokesperson Hadar Elboim reported on Sunday that a 19-year-old is in moderate condition and conscious and a 15-year-old female with a head injury has regained consciousness as well.
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(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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12 Responses
And he still drove with just one hand on the wheel, even after he lost control.
What?
Clearly the white mini bus was the cause of the accident…
Had he not have earbuds, he still would have been forced to swerve the bus and go on the side walk.
Once a bus loses control, its anyone’s guess what happens next..
The cause was the WHITE MINI BUS!
Does YWN have competent editors???
It seems like from many news stories that accuracy is not on the top of YWN list
horrible–if it is not an immediately fireable and jailable offense for these idiots who text and drive, it damned well should be!!!!!
@y2r- No! The mini bus was already in the kikar, giving him right of way. The bus driver must have not seen him and entered full speed (equivalent of running a stop sign) and the crash was the result.
y2r – That’s incorrect. The law is vehicles in the traffic circle have right of way. The law also is to come to a complete stop before entering a traffic circle. The bus driver is at fault. It’s the American equivalent of the bus driver going through a stop sign.
@y2r What?
Clearly the white mini bus was the cause of the accident…
Had he not have earbuds, he still would have been forced to swerve the bus and go on the side walk.
DO YOU KNOW HOW A ROUNDABOUTS(traffic circle) WORKS???????
The bus driver should have given way to the white minibus so he is at fault!!!
@y2r:
It may have escaped your notice that the white minivan is on a traffic circle, in Israel (as in most of the world to the best of my knowledge) those already in the traffic circle have the right of way to those who want to enter it, the bus instead of slowing down while it approaches a traffic circle in anticipation of the potential need to come to a full stop speeds up (possibly because the driver was distracted) thus I find it hard ton understand how you seek to blame the minivan driver instead of the bus driver.
@y2r … I think you are mistaken. This is a regular roundabout and the white mini bus is clearly already in it and therefore has the right of way. The bus should yield to vehicles already in the roundabout and only enter when there is a clear opportunity.
y2r
Clearly you have no grasp of road laws.
All vehicles, even full size busses, must yield to vehicles already in the traffic circle. Full stop.
y2r, very wrong. The white mnibus had the right of way, as he was in the traffic circle before the bus arrived. The bus is responsible to stop as entering the circle if need be, but he was travelling way too fast as he approached the circle- very possibly because his attention was elsewhere.
Only a miracle that there aren’t tens of fatalities. That bus stop could have been full. Shomer Yisroel..
I have been on numerous busses in Israel where every time the bus drivers answer calls on their Bluetooth and look at their phones.
Worst is the when i was in a taxi whilst the driver was watching a clip on youtube whilst driving!
I have never seen anyone pulled over in Israel for being on the phone!!!!! Probably the only place in the world!