Onnibus Bus Drives on Highway Shoulder Near Veikkola, Sparking Safety Concerns
An Onnibus coach traveling from Turku to Helsinki was involved in a controversial incident on Sunday evening, when the driver overtook a queue of vehicles by driving on the shoulder of the Turku Highway near Veikkola. The maneuver, which occurred around 5:30 PM, has raised questions about road safety and compliance with traffic regulations.
The bus’s decision to use the shoulder came after a rear-end collision between two passenger cars caused congestion on the highway. The West Uusimaa Rescue Department confirmed the accident to Iltalehti, stating that the vehicles were quickly moved aside and the situation was resolved in under 30 minutes. No injuries were reported (Iltalehti).
Despite the temporary nature of the traffic jam, the Onnibus driver proceeded to overtake the line of cars on the shoulder, traveling an estimated 1–2 kilometers at speeds of around 60 km/h, according to witnesses. Iltalehti reader Paavo described the bus’s actions as "rather reckless behavior from a large company," while another driver, Ville, reported that the bus came dangerously close to striking his car’s side mirror (Iltalehti).
Passengers on the bus expressed unease over the maneuver. A reader of Ilta-Sanomat recounted how the driver initially announced that the cause of the congestion was unknown before suddenly deciding to overtake via the shoulder. The passenger feared the bus would damage the side mirrors of nearby cars, a concern echoed by another traveler on the same coach. Both described the driver’s behavior as unusual, with one stating, "I’ve certainly never been on an Onnibus like this before" (Ilta-Sanomat).
Heidi Laine, who observed the incident from her car in the overtaking lane, described the bus’s speed as excessive given the conditions, with sand billowing into the air as it passed. She noted that the bus continued on the shoulder until reaching the accident site before merging back onto the road. "I’ve never seen anything like that before," she said (Ilta-Sanomat).
Onnibus communications responded to the incident via email, emphasizing that drivers are required to comply with traffic regulations. The company stated that an internal review of the situation had been initiated with the driver and their supervisor (Iltalehti, Ilta-Sanomat).
