A preliminary police investigation into the BEST bus crash in Mumbai’s Kurla, which claimed seven lives, revealed that the driver lacked proper training and mistakenly pressed the accelerator instead of the brakes. According to officials, the driver, hired on a contract basis, joined the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) on December 1. He reportedly struggled with the automatic transmission of the electric bus, having prior experience only with manual transmission vehicles. The absence of a clutch left him confused while driving, as reported by The Times of India.
The crash occurred on Monday night when the BEST bus on route 332 lost control near Kurla railway station, hitting pedestrians and crashing into about 30-40 vehicles before slamming into a residential society's wall. Surveillance footage captured the devastating incident. Eyewitnesses alleged that the driver appeared intoxicated and was unable to manage the large vehicle. Police reported that after traveling only about 100 meters, the bus began hitting vehicles, including two-wheelers on the wrong side and two autorickshaws, one of which was completely crushed. The accident left seven dead and 43 others injured.