A tragic road accident that claimed the lives of 19 people, most of which teenage girls, has led to a 15 year prison sentence for the lorry driver involved on Tuesday, 8 May, according to local media.
The lorry’s owner, who allowed the unlicensed driver to operate the vehicle, also received a six-year sentence. Both convictions can still be appealed.
Investigators found that the driver was under the influence of hashish and methamphetamine at the time of the crash; he also did not have a valid license.
The deadly crash happened on June 26 on a dangerous stretch of the Regional Ring Road, where ongoing construction has narrowed traffic to one shared lane.
The Regional Ring Road, completed in 2018 and now undergoing extensive repairs, has seen over 300 accidents since mid-2022 and has been dubbed “The Road of Death.”
President Abdel Fattah El Sisi responded to the tragedy by ordering immediate closures of unsafe sections and pushing for faster repairs. Authorities also introduced tighter traffic regulations, including random drug tests and tougher penalties for violations.
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