ADDIS ABABA, Oct.13 (Xinhua) -- A traffic accident in Ethiopia's Amhara regional state located in the northern part of the country has left 17 people dead, an Ethiopian official said on Sunday.
Dejen Wodage, Chief Traffic Police Inspector, Sekota locality, Waghmiera administration in Amhara regional state, said the traffic accident happened on Saturday afternoon when a transport bus traveling on the road overturned leaving 17 passengers dead, reported state media outlet Amhara Mass Media Agency.
Wodage said several other people who received heavy injuries are currently being treated in nearby medical facilities.
He further said police suspect the transport bus was carrying extra passengers beyond the vehicle's normal capacity when the accident happened at a hilly place.
"We have arrested the driver of the bus and pending completion of a preliminary investigation into the deadly traffic accident," said Wodage.
Although, Ethiopia has one of the lowest per capita car ownership rates in the world, deadly traffic accidents are fairly common, with the blame put on bad roads, reckless driving, a flawed driving license issuance system, and lax enforcement of safety rules.
