A tragic road accident in Indonesia’s North Sumatra province left four people dead and 19 others injured after a bus collided with a pickup truck on the Kualanamu–Tebing Tinggi Toll Road on the morning of May 11.
Authorities said the crash occurred at around 5.30am after a pickup truck transporting chickens first lost control, struck a road divider and overturned, blocking part of the highway.
Serdang Bedagai Traffic Police chief Assistant Commissioner Gokma Silitonga said the overturned vehicle came to rest across the middle of the toll road, creating a sudden obstruction for oncoming traffic.
A Halmahera passenger bus travelling in the same direction then crashed into the stationary pickup truck, triggering a chain reaction collision.
Following the impact, the bus swerved, veered off the road and struck a guardrail before overturning outside the toll lane. The pickup truck was also thrown forward several metres due to the force of the collision.
Police confirmed that four bus passengers were killed at the scene, while 19 others sustained injuries and were taken to hospitals across Serdang Bedagai for treatment.
Investigators said both vehicles were severely damaged, and authorities are still working to determine the exact sequence of events leading to the crash.
Local police also reported that both the bus and pickup truck drivers are currently being sought, as they are believed to have fled the scene after the accident.
Officials said the incident adds to a growing list of fatal road crashes on Indonesian highways in recent weeks, raising fresh concerns over road safety standards and enforcement.
Authorities have called for a broader review of transport safety regulations, including vehicle maintenance, driver working hours and highway conditions, following a series of deadly accidents in the region.
