Tour organized by Kratu, sightseeing bus rolls over on snowy narrow road, two people break - bus accident arranged by travel agency continues
On December 9, 2024, at around 10 a.m., an accident occurred in which a large sightseeing bus overturned on a city road in Kamitokuyama, Hiruzen, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture. The tour was organized by Club Tourism, a group company of Japan Tourist, which has a reputation for tours for seniors.
The sightseeing bus where the accident occurred had a total of 45 people on board, including 43 passengers, a driver, and two tour conductors. Eleven of the passengers suffered minor injuries and were taken to hospital. Two of them were seriously injured with broken bones. The driver was a 24-year veteran.
The accident occurred during the club tourism trip "Izumo Taisha and Itsukushima Shrine Visits Sanin Sanyo Golden Route 3 Days", and it was a tour product that was not accompanied by a tour conductor or local staff.
On the morning of December 8, the participants departed from Tokyo Station and other places, went sightseeing in the Kurashiki Bikan area of Okayama Prefecture, and stayed at Yunogo Onsen. The accident occurred on the morning of the second day, on the way to the Adachi Museum of Art in Yasugi City, Shimane Prefecture. After the museum, we visited Izumo Taisha Shrine and a winery, and stayed overnight in Hiroshima City. On the third day, we planned to visit Miyajima and return to Tokyo.
At the time of the accident, the sightseeing bus was scheduled to travel on the Yonago Expressway, but it was closed due to snowfall. Therefore, the sightseeing bus was scheduled to get off from the Hiruyama IC to the general road and use the national and prefectural roads.
Regarding the route change, Club Tourism explained, "It is at the discretion of the bus company, and there is no special arrangement between us and the bus company." On top of that, he revealed that he "got lost and entered the city road."
The width of the bus is 2.5 m, and the width of the road is almost the same as 2.6 m, and it overturns. There was about 10 cm of snow on the road, and the bus was fitted with studless tires. Police are interviewing the driver on suspicion of negligent injury and investigating the details of the accident.
This accident has highlighted the importance of safety measures for sightseeing bus operations in areas where snow and ice are likely to occur. In the winter of this sea season, the cold is more severe than usual in many parts of Japan, and snowfall is forecast to increase.
As demand increases during the winter tourist season, travel agencies that host tours and bus companies that are operation managers are required to review their comprehensive plans for safety management, such as selecting operating routes, making arrangements in the event of road closures, and improving driving skills such as the introduction of winter training.
In October, Kratu and JTB were killed in an overseas bus tour accident
In October this year, a tourist bus overturned on a tour of Turkey arranged by Club Tourism, and a Japan man who was being treated at a hospital later died. Also on the 24th, a tourist bus and a truck collided on a tour across Malaysia arranged by JTB, killing a Japan woman.
