Kuala lumpur: Video analysis has revealed that the tour bus involved in the tragic crash that claimed the lives of 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students on June 9 last year was traveling at approximately 114.7 kilometers per hour (km/h), far exceeding the safe stability limit for that route.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Road Transport Safety Investigation final report by the Transport Ministry's (MOT) Special Task Force indicated that the road at the crash site was designed for a speed of around 70 km/h, with an enforced speed limit of 60 km/h. The report highlighted that the bus's speed greatly surpassed both the road's design speed and the regulated speed limit, thereby exceeding the vehicle's safe stability threshold at the time of the incident.

The investigation utilized video recordings from nearby public vehicles to independently estimate the bus's speed, as the bus itself was not equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS), a Speed Limiting Device (SLD), or a dashcam, resulting in a lack of internal vehicle recordings.

The report further explained that aggressive braking at high speed caused a significant increase in brake component temperatures, progressively diminishing braking effectiveness. This combination of brake failure and excessive speed led to the bus losing stability, skidding, and overturning before hitting a W-beam road barrier and crashing into the rear of a Perodua Alza multi-purpose vehicle (MPV).

Additionally, the report identified that the penetration of the road barrier into the bus cabin was the primary factor that increased the severity of passenger injuries and fatalities. Toxicology tests confirmed that the bus driver was not under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or prohibited substances at the time of the accident.

The investigation also uncovered that the bus's maintenance was performed by a workshop not listed as an accredited facility, specifically for critical work involving the braking system and wheel hubs. Periodic inspection records from Pusat Pemeriksaan Kenderaan Berkomputer (Puspakom) showed that the bus had passed inspection at Puspakom Kota Bharu on April 13, 2025, with an overall brake efficiency of 59 percent. However, this static test did not detect the potential for brake fade under conditions of heavy load and high speed.