A worrying rise in intercity passenger transport accidents has been observed since the beginning of August across Türkiye, according to a report from Hürriyet newspaper.

As new accident reports emerge daily, both passengers and traffic safety experts are growing increasingly concerned. Over the past five years, 1,347 fatal and injury-related accidents in intercity passenger transport have been recorded, forming a significant statistic.

In light of these repeated tragedies, the focus has shifted to bus companies and road safety. The primary causes of bus accidents include running off the road, side collisions, rollovers, skidding, overturning, head-on collisions and fires while in motion. To address these issues, it’s crucial to implement stricter safety measures and improve vehicle inspections.

In August, several bus accidents occurred across Türkiye, highlighting serious safety concerns. On Aug. 4, a bus accident on the Erzincan-Sivas highway at Kızıldağ Pass resulted in one death and 41 injuries. On Aug. 9, a bus in Düzce collided with a truck, injuring 25 people, and another bus traveling from Ağrı to Izmir crashed into a bridge pillar in Ankara, killing nine.

Four public prosecutors were assigned to the investigation, which found the bus driver at fault with no brake marks at the scene. On Aug. 10, a fire broke out in an intercity bus's engine compartment in Beşiktaş, but no injuries were reported as passengers evacuated promptly.

On Aug. 13, a passenger bus rear-ended a construction vehicle in Aydın, causing eight injuries, one severe. Additionally, a bus overturned in Akçadağ, Malatya, injuring 22 people, and another accident in Istanbul involved an intercity bus colliding with an IETT bus in Üsküdar, injuring three people.

180 accidents January-July

According to data from the Gendarmerie General Command, fatal and injury-related intercity bus accidents have increased with 218 in 2020, 252 in 2021, 333 in 2022, 364 in 2023, and 180 from January to July 2024. To address this rise, the General Directorate of Security has intensified bus monitoring on highways.

Alpay Lök, vice president of the Traffic Accident Prevention Association, attributes the increase to the deactivation of speed limiters in buses. These limiters, originally set at 90 kph (55 mph) for trucks and 100 kph for buses, are often tampered with, allowing speeds up to 150-170 kph.

Lök emphasized the need for strict penalties for tampering with speed limiters, noting that companies, not just drivers, are responsible.

He also explained that while buses are designed and manufactured to comply with international regulations, including a 100 kph speed limit, these settings are often tampered with domestically.

"The manufacturer points out that exceeding 100 kph compromises tire and brake safety," Lök stressed, criticizing the practice of treating such issues as "minor defects" during inspections and arguing they should be classified as "major defects."

He added that a bus traveling at 140 kph has the same kinetic energy as two buses at 100 kph, causing damage equivalent to a collision between two buses, and increases fuel consumption by 95%.

Questioning how this excessive fuel consumption is financially sustainable and who bears the cost of the additional fuel and accident risks, he also underscored that no part of an intercity bus is designed for speeds above 100 kph – yet they continue to operate at dangerous speeds.

Also stressing the need for better bus inspections, he pointed out: "A fleet engineer should ensure all parts are correctly installed and inspected, and verify fuel sources and brake maintenance."

He noted that while the U.K. and Germany conduct thorough inspections, including additional disassembly checks, Türkiye only performs one inspection, raising concerns about its effectiveness.

Lök also criticized drivers' working conditions, explaining they often work nine-hour shifts, six days a week, with occasional extensions to 10 hours. He pointed out that drivers sleeping in the bus cabin do not get proper rest, increasing accident risks, and that this practice needs to change for better safety.

He highlighted an example from Germany, stating: "A person working eight hours a day does not return to full performance without a proper rest. In Türkiye, drivers sometimes work over 10 hours with only one day off, and sometimes even that is canceled, questioning whether they get adequate rest."

Lök also emphasized the importance of passengers using seat belts to prevent potential accidents: "Passengers must be encouraged to wear seat belts. How many passengers were wearing seat belts in the accident where nine people lost their lives? Unfortunately, we do not use seat belts in either private vehicles or during intercity bus trips. We need to educate our public more strongly on the importance of seat belts."