A fatal collision between a car and a bus carrying female students in Saudi Arabia's Taif city left one dead and several others injured, Al Riyadh reported.
The incident took place on the Asheera Al Mahani highway on Sunday as the students were commuting to Al Taif University to sit for an exam.
Soon after the crash was reported to authorities, paramedics arrived at the scene and transferred all injured individuals to nearby hospitals.
According to Al Riyadh news website, the bus driver died before reaching the hospital. However, other news sources have added that a student - identified as Nauf - has succumbed to her injuries since.
News of the tragedy went viral online, sparking anger on Twitter after images of the bus wreckage were posted.
In reaction to the incident, Saudi tweeps launched a hashtag calling on authorities to implement stricter road safety regulations.
Others said the highway - where the collision took place - doesn't meet traffic safety regulations and is in dire need of maintenance.
Many were left heartbroken by the news
"Students on their way to Al Taif University to sit for an English language exam. A horrific accident that left seven injured and one student dead."
Others prayed for the victims
"We ask God to have mercy on those who passed away and to heal those who are injured."
People were outraged over the lack of road safety in the area
"This is a double-sided road where daily accidents occur. People are dying because of this dangerous highway. We ask that authorities find solutions to the suffering of our students and the people of Al Mahani and all the villages in the area."
Some called on authorities to build a college closer to Al Mahani region
"May God have mercy on the soul of the student who passed away and heal her colleagues. Students are suffering and sitting through long journeys to get to university. Isn't it time to open branches of this institution in Al Moyah governorate?!"
Traffic accidents are a major issue in the kingdom
Car accidents are considered one of the major causes of death in Saudi Arabia and news of crashes are often reported in the country.
On average, a car accident happens every minute on average in the kingdom, according to statistics published in recent years.
This adds up to more than 460,000 crashes per year. In 2017 alone, the country recorded over 7,000 deaths related to car accidents. In 2016, 9,000 car accident fatalities - a number that translates to 12 percent of the total deaths - were recorded.
However, things are getting better due to the implementation of the kingdom's electronic traffic management system, Saher.
"The introduction of Saher system has reduced the severity of traffic accident injuries by 20 percent and mortality rate by 37.8 percent,” Sulaiman Al-Ghannam, a principal investigator, told Arab News.
This year, the system continued to contribute to lowering the rate of road accidents. While still remarkably high, the rate of crashes and related deaths appears slightly lower than it was in 2016.