PETALING JAYA: A combination of many factors, including mechanical and human, led to the bus crash in Gerik that killed 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students.
In a report made publicly available on the Transport Ministry website at 3pm on Friday (Jan 23), the accident was caused by a combination of mechanical, human, environmental and organisational factors.
"The bus' braking system was contaminated and inconsistent, combined with driving at speeds exceeding safe limits, led to a loss of vehicle control.
"Challenging road conditions, weaknesses in the design and installation of road barriers and the structural failure of the bus cabin further increased the severity of the impact and the resulting injuries.
"In addition, there were illegal operating practices, non-compliance with safety requirements, as well as weaknesses in regulation and enforcement reflect systemic issues within the tourism transport industry.
"All of these factors collectively contributed to this tragic incident and underscore the need for comprehensive improvements to enhance passenger safety and restore public confidence in the road transport system," read the report.
The report said the vehicle's brakes were compromised due to deformation and wear of the rear left brake drum, as well as contamination of grease on the brake lining and inconsistencies in the composition of the lining material.
"These conditions reduced braking friction and accelerated brake fade," it said.
It was also found that the bus was travelling above the sped limit and did not have dashboard cameras or GPS devices installed.
"Kinematic analysis, together with dashcam footage from another vehicle, estimated the bus's speed entering the curve at 114.7kph," adding that the speed limit for the stretch was 60kph.
The crash on June 9, 2025, involved 48 people including 42 students, a bus driver, an attendant and four occupants from another vehicle.
