Why was preventing the bus from veering off the road critical?

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Preventing the runaway bus from veering off the road was critical because it could have caused a major tragedy.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the runaway bus, which lost control while going downhill near the Menora Tunnel, had a real possibility of plunging into a ravine if it had veered off the road. By using his lorry to slow the bus and help bring it to a stop, lorry driver Wong Tuck Meng helped prevent that outcome and saved 21 passengers.
The bus was travelling downhill near the Menora Tunnel
The incident happened on June 15 when a bus travelling from Kedah to Kuala Lumpur lost control while going downhill near the Menora Tunnel. That downhill terrain is what made the situation potentially dangerous, because the bus’s speed and direction could not be controlled once it began running away.
Avoiding a ravine plunge reduced the risk of disaster
Loke said that, given the terrain at the time, there was a real possibility the bus could have plunged into a ravine. Preventing the bus from veering off the road therefore mattered because it directly lowered the chance of a catastrophic fall.
Wong’s lorry intervention helped stop the bus in time
Wong was driving ahead of the bus and used his lorry to slow it down, eventually helping bring it to a stop before it could veer off the road. Loke described the intervention as reducing the bus’s speed and helping it come to rest, which in turn prevented it from leaving the road.
The outcome preserved the lives of 21 passengers
The Malaysian Road Safety Council (MKJR) honoured Wong with a RM10,000 cash award and a special certificate of appreciation, citing his role in helping save lives. The case was framed around the fact that 21 passengers were spared when the bus was stopped before it could veer off the road.

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Why was preventing the bus from veering off the road critical?

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