DAKAR: At least twenty-three people died Wednesday when a bus crashed in northern Senegal, as announced by President Macky Sall on social media. The tragic incident occurred in the village of Ngeune Sarre in the Louga region, leaving many injured and prompting calls for greater caution on the country’s roads.
The accident, the cause and exact time of which were not immediately specified, sent shockwaves across the nation, prompting a response from the authorities. Interior Minister Antoine Felix Abdoulaye Diome was en route to the accident site to assess the situation.
Road Accidents in Senegal
This is not the first road disaster in the region. In January, another collision near Louga claimed the lives of 19 people and left 24 others injured. Moreover, just a week prior to the recent tragedy, a bus collision in central Senegal resulted in the loss of around 40 lives.
The frequency of such accidents on Senegal’s roads has drawn significant criticism against the authorities for their perceived lack of action in preventing them. Following the January 8 incident, the government announced a series of measures, including a ban on overnight bus journeys. However, some transportation professionals expressed concerns that many of these measures were unrealistic or insufficient to address the underlying issues.
Tragically, road accidents remain a major concern in many countries across Africa, often stemming from factors such as dilapidated vehicles, reckless driving practices, and corruption within law enforcement agencies.
