A multi-vehicle collision killed three passengers and injured 14 in Mumbai, India.

Police reported that the devastating traffic incident occurred on the Mumbai-Nashik Highway in Shahapur village, 30 kilometres from Bhiwandi city, on Wednesday, January 15, around 4:30 am.

The crash involved a luxury bus, a container truck, and a tempo. Authorities said the tempo, travelling from Mumbai to Nashik, lost control, collided with a divider, and crossed into the opposite lane.

A large container truck from the other side crashed into the tempo after noticing it was driving in the wrong direction.

The container truck driver avoided a head-on collision by using emergency brakes and swerving left, but a luxury bus was severely damaged after being struck.

Footage shows the horrifying aftermath, with the coach badly wrecked.

Three passengers seated at the back of the bus sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced dead by authorities.

Other individuals, including the driver, were promptly transported to the main medical facility in Shahapur for treatment and then transferred to a hospital for further care.

In another incident, a truck and a bus collided, killing at least two passengers and a bus cleaner and injuring 15 in Telangana on Friday, January 10.

Eyewitnesses stated that the bus, allegedly traveling at high speed, initially collided with a car, causing minor damage, before crashing into the stationary truck.

India has one of the highest rates of road accidents in the world, with thousands of fatalities and injuries reported each year.

The poor track record is blamed on unsafe road conditions, reckless driving, inadequate enforcement of traffic laws, and a lack of awareness about road safety.