REG 190814 crash-1565770557965
A private vehicle and a tank truck had collided in the south-western Saudi region of Asir, killing seven people, a rescue official has said.

Riyadh: A private vehicle and a tank truck had collided in the south-western Saudi region of Asir, killing seven people, a rescue official has said.

Nine others were injured in the accident that occurred on Tuesday in the area of Bahr Abu Sakina, west of Asir, spokesman for the Red Crescent in Asir Mohammad Bin Hassan, told Saudi online newspaper Sabq said.

Nine teams of medics were sent to the scene of the collision between a Land Cruiser Toyota and a water tank truck, according to the official.

Those injured included two in serious condition while the rest of injuries ranged from medium to minor, he said.

The cause of the accident has yet to be clear.

Road crashes in Saudi Arabia

Road crashes resulted in 10,961 deaths in Saudi Arabia in 2017, according to official figures. The tragedies were mainly attributed to reckless driving.

Traffic accidents in the kingdom have dropped by 33 per cent in recent years, a report by the governmental Traffic Safety Committee said.

The decline is due to stricter enforcement of road regulations and expanded use of relevant advanced technology.