Bus veers onto bike path in Campos; driver claims brake failure

A bus traveling on the Jóquei x Santa Rosa route in Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil, veered off the road and onto a bike path on Monday morning, September 6th. The incident occurred on Avenida 28 de Março, near the intersection with Rua Santo Antônio. The bus struck and damaged protective barriers on the bike path before coming to a stop on the central median. Some passengers sustained minor injuries. Initially, the Campos City Hall, citing information from the bus company, reported that the driver swerved to avoid a car that braked suddenly as the traffic light turned yellow. However, witnesses who assisted in the passenger evacuation presented a different account. They stated that the driver immediately after the accident claimed the bus had lost its brakes. One witness, event producer Denis Vinícius Martins Rangel, reported hearing a crash rather than the sound of braking and noted that if the traffic light had been red, the bus could have hit several cars. He and another individual helped open the bus doors to allow passengers to exit. Student inspector Fábio Satiro also participated in the rescue, prioritizing the evacuation of passengers who had fallen and ensuring no one was trapped beneath the vehicle. Witnesses estimated that over 25 people were on board at the time of the accident. One passenger, en route for medical treatment for a fractured arm, reportedly sustained further injury from the impact. A passenger named Márcia Valéria Maria, a homemaker, suggested the driver swerved to avoid other vehicles and pedestrians, and criticized the fleet's condition, citing issues with brakes, air conditioning, and overall maintenance, as well as driver working conditions and pay. The Municipal Institute of Transit and Transport (IMTT) reiterated the driver's statement that there was no mechanical failure, maintaining the version of swerving to avoid a car. The IMTT also noted that the bus was operating without a required inspection certificate, resulting in a fine. A request for surveillance footage to clarify the incident's dynamics had not yet been answered by the time of reporting, and the bus company had not issued a statement.