Bus crash kills 8 making holiday season death toll worst on record

Zimbabwean police say eight people died in a bus crash that has brought the traffic accident death toll during the holiday period to the highest on record in the southern African nation.

Police officials in the second city of Bulawayo said Sunday that eight died and 57 were injured Saturday in western Zimbabwe when their bus, headed for neighboring Botswana, veered off the highway and overturned.

The driver was among the injured.

The central police traffic command said 209 people have died in accidents since Dec. 15. In the same holiday period last year, 147 people died. Bus accidents, common in Zimbabwe, are blamed on poor vehicle maintenance and speeding.

On Dec. 23, 18 passengers died when a truck ferrying them home for the holidays plunged into a mountain ravine.

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