A passenger bus carrying female students has overturned in southwestern Iran, killing 26 of those aboard.

Iran’s state radio reported on October 20 that the crash had occurred the previous day in Khuzestan province on the Izeh-Lordegan road, about 500 kilometers southwest of Tehran.

Senior police official Colonel Mohammad Reza Mehmandar says that the driver lost control of the bus whiles traveling at high speed in rainy weather.

Mehmandar said 19 others were injured in the accident and were rushed to hospitals for treatment.

Iran has one of the world’s worst traffic safety records, with more than 400,000 accidents and about 20,000 deaths on its roads every year.

The high death tolls are blamed on high speeds, unsafe vehicles, and widespread disregard for traffic laws.

Iran, a country of 75 million people, has more than 17 million registered vehicles.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP

By RFE/RL