Bus from Hvar skids off highway near Backa Topola
A bus carrying 17 passengers returning from Hvar to Subotica veered off the highway near Backa Topola. Twelve people were injured, seven seriously and five lightly, and at least one was rushed to Belgrade.
- A bus carrying 17 passengers returning from Hvar to Subotica skidded off the highway near Backa Topola in the morning hours of June 27.
- 12 passengers were injured, of whom seven seriously and five lightly.
- At least one person was rushed to Belgrade because of the severity of the injuries, while the rest were treated at the General Hospital in Subotica.
- No one was killed; police carried out an on-site inquiry to establish the cause.
A bus carrying 17 passengers skidded off the highway near Backa Topola in the morning hours of June 27. The vehicle was returning from Hvar, and the journey was due to end in Subotica. Twelve people were injured in the crash. There were no fatalities.
According to available information, the passengers had set off from Hvar the previous day at around 4.30 pm. The bus was heading toward northern Serbia and was only a few dozen kilometres from its final destination when the crash happened. For reasons that have not yet been established, the driver lost control of the vehicle, which ended up off the road.
Emergency medical teams and police were dispatched to the scene at once. The injured were treated, and traffic on the stretch was slowed during the response and the inquiry.
Seven seriously and five lightly injured
The crash left 12 passengers injured. Seven people suffered serious injuries and five sustained minor ones. Everyone who needed medical care was treated at the General Hospital in Subotica.
Because of the severity of their condition, at least one passenger was rushed to Belgrade. Doctors prioritised patients with the most serious injuries. According to the information available so far, the lives of the injured are not in danger, though the condition of some was monitored after admission.
The crash happened at the end of a summer journey, on a stretch of road used by many travellers returning from the coast. Coach tours from the Adriatic toward Vojvodina and Subotica carry large numbers of passengers during the season, which gives such crashes wider significance for road safety.
What sent the bus off the road?
The exact cause of the crash has not yet been established. Police carried out an on-site inquiry, and the investigation will show the circumstances under which the bus left the road. Possible lines of inquiry include the vehicle’s technical condition, the state of the road, speed and possible driver fatigue after a long night drive.
At this stage, no suspicion of criminal liability has been announced. Road crashes with injuries routinely involve checking all the circumstances, including analysis of the tachograph and the vehicle’s technical records. Until the inquiry and expert assessment are complete, the official cause remains an open question.
Bus travel after the summer season often means long night drives and tired drivers. How much could stricter checks on driver rest and vehicle roadworthiness reduce the risk of such crashes on Serbia’s highways?
