Fourteen passengers of an express bus and its driver escaped serious injuries after the bus skidded at KM 233.2 of the North-South Expressway, northbound near Kuala Kangsar here, Sunday.

Perak Traffic Enforcement and Investigation Department chief, Supt Wan Jamil Wan Chik said in the 3.15pm accident only one male passenger suffered minor injuries and was taken to Taiping Hospital for treatment.

He said 14 passengers, all locals were in the bus heading towards Butterworth from Kuala Lumpur, when the incident occurred.

"The 46-year-old bus driver claimed there was a mechanical defect in the steering wheel.

"As a result he lost control of the vehicle and the bus skidded into a drain on the left side of the highway," he said in a statement here, Sunday.

Wan Jamil said the passengers then boarded another bus to proceed with their journey to Penang, adding that at the time of the incident, the bus was travelling on a straight road and the weather condition was good. - Bernama