A route 284 city bus crashed into a tree at the Tri-Service General Hospital’s Neihu branch in Taipei this morning, injuring 12 people.
Capital Bus Co said it would take full responsibility for compensating the victims, and vowed to cooperate with the police investigation into the cause of the accident.
After an initial investigation, police said that the bus experienced a mechanical failure as it prepared to turn and pull into a stop, causing the driver to lose control of the steering wheel and the front of the bus to crash into a tree, police said.
Photo courtesy of police
Taipei Public Transportation Office division chief Kuo Chien-chen (郭建辰) said that preliminary reports from the operator showed the driver’s work and rest schedules were normal.
The operator has been instructed to dispatch representatives to hospitals to visit the injured and handle all relevant medical expenses, Kuo said.
As the accident resulted in injuries, Kuo said that the company is to face a fine ranging from NT$9,000 to NT$90,000 under the Highway Act (公路法).
In a news release, Capital Bus said that the driver and several passengers were brought into the hospital for treatment, but none had life-threatening injuries.
The company said it sent representatives to visit each victim, offering "red envelopes" of NT$6,000 per person, along with an additional NT$1,000 for taxi fare upon their discharge.
It vowed to cover all medical expenses and bear full responsibility for compensation.
The driver is a senior employee whose attendance records comply with regulations, it said.
Their most recent day off was on Saturday, and a breathalyzer test conducted on the morning of the accident showed normal results, it added.
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