A tragic incident occurred at a middle school in Tai'an city, located in the eastern province of Shandong, China, early Tuesday morning. A bus crashed into a group of students and parents who were gathered at the school gate, resulting in the loss of 11 lives and leaving 13 others injured. The Dongping county police department confirmed that among the victims were six parents and five students.
According to the police department's social media post, the driver of the bus, which was specially designed for transporting students, is currently in police custody as authorities conduct an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash. While one of the injured individuals is in serious condition, the remaining 12 are reported to be in stable condition.
This tragic incident sheds light on the ongoing issue of school safety in China, particularly concerning overloaded school buses and inadequately constructed school buildings. In 2017, a similar tragedy struck when a school bus carrying kindergarten pupils crashed and caught fire in a tunnel in Weihai, also located in Shandong province, claiming the lives of 12 individuals, including both Chinese and South Korean children.
China has taken significant steps to address transportation safety concerns, implementing measures such as enhanced training programs and rigorous vehicle inspections. Despite these efforts, the country has witnessed a series of attacks on school children in recent years, often involving weapons like knives or homemade explosives. These attacks have been attributed to individuals harboring personal grievances or seeking retribution against society at large.
