A 30-second dashcam video circulating on social media has captured the chilling final moments before the tragic bus accident that claimed 15 lives along the East-West Highway, showing the privately-chartered bus filled with UPSI (Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris) students overtaking another vehicle at dangerously high speed.
The footage, recorded from the dashcam of another vehicle and posted on social media platform X by user @mohd_escobar, shows the bus rapidly overtaking the recording vehicle along the Gerik-Jeli stretch of the highway in the early hours of the morning.
The dramatic video captures the bus speeding past before losing control and crashing into the road barrier moments later.
The unverified 30-second clip may provide crucial evidence for investigators examining the cause of the accident that occurred at approximately 1.10am near Tasik Banding in Gerik, Perak.
The crash involved a chartered bus carrying UPSI students returning from their Aidiladha holidays and a Perodua Alza MPV.
The dashcam recording from another motorist shows the bus rapidly overtaking their vehicle at what appears to be excessive speed, with the footage capturing the moments before the driver lost control along the bending stretch.
The video evidence strongly suggests that speed was a significant contributing factor in the accident, showing the bus’s aggressive overtaking maneuver just before the fatal crash into the road divider.
The viral dashcam footage has sparked discussions about road safety and reckless overtaking practices, particularly during late-night travel when visibility is reduced and driver fatigue becomes a significant risk factor.
Road safety experts have pointed to the 30-second recording as highlighting the dangers of aggressive driving and high-speed overtaking on highways, especially during early morning hours when traffic is lighter.
Emergency responders who arrived at the scene at 2:11am found the UPSI bus overturned with severe damage, while the Perodua Alza was also badly damaged.
The accident resulted in 15 confirmed fatalities, with several other passengers sustaining various injuries ranging from fractured limbs to minor wounds.
The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) is planning to establish a special task force to probe the fatal crash.
READ ALSO: Police to form task force to probe fatal UPSI students’ bus crash
The tragic incident has prompted renewed calls for stricter enforcement of speed limits and enhanced safety measures for chartered bus services, particularly those carrying students during holiday periods when travel volume increases significantly.
