Police: Sleep-deprived driver believed to have dozed off at the wheel before Serdang crash that injured three kindergarten pupils, teacher

Police: Sleep-deprived driver believed to have dozed off at the wheel before Serdang crash that injured three kindergarten pupils, teacher



A widely shared image of police at the scene where a school bus carrying kindergarten pupils crashed into a tree in Serdang. — Picture via Facebook

Sunday, 03 Aug 2025 11:52 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 — Driver fatigue and lack of sleep are believed to have caused the bus crash at Jalan Persiaran Universiti 1 in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in Serdang yesterday.

Serdang District Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Muhamad Farid Ahmad confirmed the findings, citing investigations into the incident involving a bus carrying pupils and teachers from Pusat Asuhan Tunas Islam (Pasti) Ampang.


“Investigations revealed that the driver was sleep-deprived and is believed to have fallen asleep at the wheel while driving along the route.

“However, preliminary screening found that he was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol,” he said in a statement today.


Earlier, it was reported that a teacher and three Pasti Ampang pupils sustained injuries after the bus collided with a tree within the UPM campus.


The incident occurred at 12.18pm while the bus, carrying five accompanying teachers and 30 pupils, was en route from a chocolate factory to the G2G Animal Garden at Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (Maeps).

Dashcam footage capturing the crash has since circulated widely on social media.

Farid added that the bus driver has been remanded for two days to assist investigations under Section 42 of the Road Transport Act 1987.

Checks also revealed that the driver has 13 previous traffic summonses registered under his name.

Meanwhile, Road Transport Department (JPJ) Director-General Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli said the department will carry out a Safety Inspection and Audit (JISA) on the bus operator.

“JPJ will conduct a JISA on the operator and take further action once the audit findings are available,” he said when contacted by media earlier today.