A 14-year-old student’s journey home ended in tragedy when the motorcycle he was riding collided with an ambulance at Jalan Kampung Tebauk in Kuala Terengganu on Monday evening.
The accident, which occurred at about 6.50pm, claimed the life of Faris Dasuki Bokhairi, a student of SMKA Dato Haji Abbas. He was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering severe head injuries.
Kuala Terengganu District Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Azli Mohd Noor said preliminary investigations found that the teenager was riding a Modenas Kriss motorcycle along the left lane of a two-way road from Batu Enam towards his home in Kampung Bukit Tunggal.
At the same time, a Toyota Hiace ambulance belonging to a private company was travelling in the opposite direction, from Bukit Tunggal towards Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah. The ambulance reportedly made a sudden right turn into a junction.
Due to the close distance between the two vehicles, the teenager was unable to avoid the ambulance and crashed into the front right side of the vehicle. The impact caused extensive damage to the front section of the motorcycle.
Road safety experts have frequently stressed the importance of caution when making turns at junctions, as such manoeuvres remain one of the leading causes of serious traffic accidents involving motorcycles.
The ambulance driver, aged 19, and a 30-year-old attendant who was travelling in the vehicle escaped the incident without injuries.
Police said the victim’s body was sent to hospital for a post-mortem examination to determine the exact cause of death. The case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for causing death by reckless or dangerous driving.
Authorities have urged anyone with information regarding the incident to contact investigating officer Inspector Nurul Fakira Ithak to assist with ongoing investigations.
