ROAD SAFETY/Two Hong Kong passengers injured in Taichung bus accident

Taichung, Dec. 23 (CNA) Two passengers from Hong Kong sustained injuries on Monday when the bus they were on drove into a pedestrian refuge island in Taichung.

At 2:43 p.m. Monday, Taichung City Police Bureau's Qingshui Precinct received reports of a bus hitting a pedestrian refuge island at the intersection of Zhongqing Road and Sanmin Road in Shalu District.

According to the bus driver, identified as a man surnamed Lin (林), he was driving in the center lane on a declining slope section of Zhongqing Road when he discovered the vehicle's brakes were not working.

Lin said that he noticed the problem when he attempted to brake as he arrived about 50 meters in front of the intersection where the traffic lights were located.

In an attempt to minimize potential damage, he maneuvered the bus to the outer lane of the road and deliberately drove into the pedestrian refuge island to stop the bus.

Taichung police said there were a total of nine passengers on board the bus, two of whom sustained injuries while one suffered nausea.

Police said the three passengers were from Hong Kong and that a 29-year-old woman surnamed Wong (黃) was left nauseous by the accident.

Meanwhile, a 66-year-old man surnamed Yu (余) suffered contusions to his lower back and pelvis while a 5-year-old girl surnamed Fong (方) broke her front teeth.

Police added that all three Hong Kong passengers were stable after being taken to hospital to receive medical assistance, adding that the driver also tested negative for alcohol.