Sixteen people were killed and 23 others injured when a coach crashed on an expressway in central China, state media said on Wednesday, in the latest fatal crash on the country's dangerous roads.
The accident occurred late Tuesday near Xuchang city in the central province of Henan, Xinhua news agency said, clarifying the time of the crash.
The coach hit two cars that had already collided, smashed through the highway's safety barrier and careered down a slope, flipping over, the report said, citing a city traffic police official.
A total of 42 people were on board the coach and of those hurt, six suffered serious injuries, it said. China's roads are among the most dangerous in the world, with traffic laws widely flouted.
Almost 70,000 people died in road accidents in 2009, or around 190 fatalities a day, according to police statistics.