Minibus carrying 18 children stopped near Kumanovo — faulty brakes, vehicle taken off the road
Police found double the allowed passengers and defective braking; the vehicle is excluded from use until repairs are made.
A minibus transporting schoolchildren was stopped and inspected this morning on the local Kumanovo–Tabanovce road, when police found twice the permitted number of passengers on board and serious technical defects.
Vehicle declared unroadworthy after brake failure detected
The minibus, bearing Kumanovo registration plates and owned by a legal entity from Kumanovo, was carrying 18 children although the vehicle's traffic permit allows transport of no more than nine people including the driver.
The vehicle was driven by 49-year-old S.P. from Kumanovo. During the stop, authorities performed an extraordinary technical inspection and experts identified a malfunction in the braking system — deficiencies in the braking force of both the service and the auxiliary brake.
Police say appropriate measures have been taken against the company that owns the vehicle, the responsible person in that legal entity, and the driver. All three face penalties foreseen by law.
The minibus has been taken out of service and will remain off the road until the identified defects are repaired.
Photo: press material from the event
