Expert report: Driver error is the primary cause of the accident in Polatlı

A 5-member expert panel consisting of mechanical and electrical engineers and traffic experts submitted their report to the Ankara West Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, which is conducting the investigation into the accident.

The experts prepared the report by examining tachograph records, as well as License Plate Recognition System (PTS) records from the moment the vehicle first set off until the moment of the accident, camera footage along the route, and footage from gas stations and rest areas where the bus stopped.

The report stated that the rule that "a driver may drive for a maximum of 9 hours in intervals over a 24-hour period" was not taken into account, and therefore the journey did not begin with at least 3 drivers.

The report, which stated that examinations of the vehicle, the accident report, tachograph records, the crime scene sketch, and witness statements were evaluated, concluded that "the primary cause of the accident was driver Çetin Karayel's failure to comply with lane-keeping and changing rules, acting in violation of his duty to exercise high care while operating and managing his bus for the sake of accident prevention and traffic safety."

DRIVER "PRIMARILY AT FAULT" IN ACCIDENT

The report noted that, as understood from the evidence including the accident footage in the file, the vehicle was swerving while in motion, the driver of a vehicle behind the bus flashed their headlights to warn the bus driver, and passengers stated in their testimonies that the driver was asleep.

The report stated that a sensible, experienced driver capable of anticipating dangers and risks should not drive without complying with the load and technical specifications of the vehicle, as well as the requirements of visibility, road, weather, and traffic conditions, and that the driver lost control of the vehicle because he could not pay sufficient attention to the road and traffic conditions ahead.

Pointing out that the bus veered off the road and fell into the median, the report included the finding: "It has been determined that the deceased driver Karayel was primarily at fault in the occurrence of the traffic accident under investigation, as he struck the pillars of the Olukpınar Bridge without having the opportunity to use the vehicle's braking system."

The passenger bus with license plate 04 AAV 951, driven by Karayel, which was traveling from Ağrı to İzmir, veered off the road and struck the concrete column of a bridge at the 53rd kilometer of the Ankara-Eskişehir highway in the Olukpınar area of the Sincan district at approximately 05:00 on August 9.

News Source: 12punto