GIM road accident in Hungary: 18 people died, 2 persons seriously injured

On Tuesday, at around 6:30 am, a coach carrying Polish passengers crashed into a bridge support on the M1 motorway in Hungary near the town of Ercsi. As a result of the impact, the vehicle caught fire, and 18 travelers died. Rescuers have already pulled out 2 seriously injured people from the wreckage, and another 35 slightly injured are in hospital.

Tamás Tájékoztató

The Polish Foreign Ministry confirmed that 17 of the victims were Polish citizens, and one of them was German.

An eyewitness told Polish Radio that the coach was on its way to Poland from Croatia. It was supposed to return children and teenagers to their homes after a summer camp.

A government official said that it was too early to establish what caused the accident.

The accident took place on a section of the road that was being repaired. But it is not yet known whether the crash had anything to do with the roadworks.

There was a crack in the bridge span about 20 meters long, and the coach deviated from its course straight into the bridge span. The coach then drove about 150 meters away from the collision site with the bridge beam and caught fire.

The wreckage of the coach was pulled out by a crane, and the police and fire brigade are working on site.

The M1 motorway was closed for several hours in both directions.

The official confirmed that other road accidents occurred on Hungarian motorways on Tuesday, including two other serious ones that resulted in the deaths of three more people.

The national police confirmed that the holiday weekend in Hungary will start on Thursday, at noon. They expect increased traffic on motorways leading to border crossings.

It is worth planning to take breaks during the journey and to drive carefully, following the example of the coach driver.

It is also worth refraining from driving when fatigued - it is better to take a break, stop and rest, if tired. This way, all passengers can reach their destination safe and sound.

The police will increase traffic control, especially on motorways and roads leading to border crossings.

As the police announced, if the medical examination reveals that the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, his driving license will be revoked on the spot and a quick trial will be held.

Road safety is a priority in Hungary, which is why the government is investing in improving road infrastructure and raising awareness of road safety issues.

Hungary will also support the European Union's road safety goals, including the goal of halving the number of road deaths by 2030.

Hungary has one of the lowest road fatality rates in Europe, with 31 road deaths per million inhabitants in 2020, compared to the EU average of 42. However, the government is committed to further reducing the number of road deaths and serious injuries.

The Hungarian government is working to improve road safety by:

- Investing in road infrastructure, such as building new roads and improving existing ones.

- Raising awareness of road safety issues, through public campaigns and educational programs.

- Enforcing traffic laws, such as speed limits and drunk driving laws.

- Providing support to victims of road accidents and their families.

Ercsi Baleset