Road crash in India kills driver, 9 schoolchildren

NEW DELHI – Police said nine school children and their driver died when their bus collided with a truck laden with bricks in northern India.

Police officer Santokh Singh said the crash happened Monday as the children were on their way to school on the outskirts of Jalandhar. The city is nearly 400 kilometers (250 miles) north of the Indian capital.

Singh said seven children and the bus driver died on the spot and another two children succumbed to their injuries in a hospital.

India has the world’s deadliest roads, with more than 110,000 people killed every year. Most crashes are blamed on reckless driving, poorly maintained roads and aging vehicles.