Three people were killed and a fourth injured Monday when two trucks collided on the western desert road near the Upper Egyptian city of Assiut.
According to preliminary investigations, the accident occurred due to excessive speed and caused the deaths of one truck driver and his two passengers.
The injured man, along with the bodies, were transported to Assiut University Hospital and prosecution began investigating the incident.
Traffic accidents are the second greatest cause of death in Egypt. The average rate of traffic deaths stands at 30 victims per day, according to experts. A recently-released government report found that on average 18 Egyptians died daily during 2009.
Bad road conditions, poor enforcement of traffic regulations and drug-taking drivers are blamed for the rising rate of traffic deaths.
An Egyptian public transport company is reportedly studying the possibility of establishing the first radio station to guide drivers around Egypt in a bid to reduce the number of road accidents.
