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Padang Panjang bus crash kills 12
A devastating traffic accident in Padang Panjang, West Sumatra, claimed the lives of 12 people on Tuesday morning, after a bus operated by PT Antar Lintas Sumatera (ALS) overturned on the trans-Sumatra toll road at around 8:15 a.m.
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Rescuers assist at the site of a fatal bus crash bus in Padang Panjang, West Sumatra, on May 6, 2025. Twelve passengers were killed in the accident. (Antara/Isril)
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devastating traffic accident in Padang Panjang, West Sumatra, claimed the lives of 12 people on Tuesday morning, after a bus operated by PT Antar Lintas Sumatera (ALS) overturned on the trans-Sumatra toll road at around 8:15 a.m.
Head of the Padang Search and Rescue (SAR) Agency, Abdul Malik, confirmed the death toll.
“As of noon, field reports indicate that 12 out of 48 passengers have died,” he said, as quoted by Kompas.com.
The crash caused severe traffic congestion at the scene, prompting authorities to reroute vehicles from both the Padang and Bukittinggi directions.
Padang Panjang Traffic Police chief First Insp. Jamalludin said the cause of the accident was still under investigation, though initial findings suggest brake failure.
Indonesian Young Bus Operators Association (IPOMI) chair Kurnia Lesani Adnan said that speeding is often the root cause behind such incidents.
“I may be wrong, but usually the [main cause of such accidents] is excessive speed. When brakes are applied at high speed, they can’t stop the vehicle effectively,” Kurnia said.
However, Kurnia stressed that if brake failure is confirmed as the main cause, the responsibility should not rest solely with the driver but also with the bus operator.
The bus driver, who survived the crash, is currently in a coma and undergoing treatment at Padang Panjang City Hospital, said Padang Panjang Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Kartyana Widyarso on Tuesday.
In response to the tragedy, the West Sumatra Police will propose the construction of an emergency evasion lane near the Busur Terminal in Padang Panjang to prevent similar accidents in the future.
“We’ll propose building an evasion lane here, as this area has seen repeated accidents,” said West Sumatra Traffic Police director Adj. Sr. Comr. Muhammad Reza Chairul Akbar Sidiq on Tuesday, as quoted by Antara.
He said such a lane was crucial for stopping vehicles that lose control, particularly in brake failure cases.
