Egypt: 24 killed in nine-vehicle pileup near Cairo

By CAIRO
At least 24 people were killed and 16 injured when nine cars and trucks slammed into each other on a fog-choked rural highway south of Cairo early Thursday, police said. The string of cars collided due to heavy fog and their high rate of speed, some 100 kilometers south of the capital, temporarily blocking the main agricultural road leading to Egypt's southern provinces. The injured were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, the official added. Road accidents are very common in Egypt due to bad roads, poor enforcement of traffic laws, and and an overall reckless approach to driving that involves a great deal of moving into the oncoming lane to pass slower vehicles. Police estimate road accidents kill about 6,000 people annually.