Up to 5yrs in prison or a fine of $2000 tala for negligent driving causing death on 3 accounts.That's it?That's all! Wow that driver should be counting his blesssings right now.
That seems really lenient to let him off the hook,it's no wonder why Bus drivers in Samoa are wreckless in the sense that the bus is usually overcrowded to the point where people are practically hanging out the door and sitting on each other,and also it doesn't help when some Bus drivers are speeding.
This tragedy is one that could have been avoided if the bus driver was more considerate and aware that he is responsible for all the lives that are on the bus and so he should have been driving accordingly!
My heart goes out to the families who lost their loved ones and a good recovery for all those who were injured including that negligent bus driver.
Those wooden buses aren't safe,maybe the Samoan Government should invest some of that $640million into getting better buses and making it compulsory for bus drivers to take the bus course.
Better yet how about limiting the number of people that can be on a bus,maybe get more buses out there so that people don't have to wait ages for the next one,hence squeezing their way on an overcrowded bus Just some suggestions..
where samoa is moving up in other areas and Technology,it seems the public transport authorities have not done much in the last 20yrs or so...

what a joke, that should be 5 yrs per deaths, total of 15yrs. what about the 2yrs for negligence driving causing injuries, this is a big slap in he face of those involved in this accicident, and i dont call it an accident, if you read the stories from the witnesses it sounds like the bus driver was palying around with another bus on the road.

kakau ga falepuipui mo le olaga akoa ua maimau soifua o tagata aemaise o nai tina matutua ma fanau na aafia ile faalavelave. Afai na o le 5 tausaga e loka ai le avepasi lea, e sili ai le pigi muamua e sesi ave ai laia e falepuipui. Ova le le mafaufau!

In review of the article regarding this tragic incident that could have been prevented by the bus driver, it is clear that the bus driver is at fault and the one to blame for the accident that resulted in the deaths of innocent citizens. The government of the Samoa should toughen and revisit the laws pertaining to speeding on the highways. In addition to that, there should be more policemen on the highways preventing these accidents from happening. More and more of these forces are not doing their jobs like they should, however, many are ignoring their primary duties and using their own authoritative power of their positions to continue to committing wrong things. This bus driver will not learn a lesson if he knew that he would get out in 5yrs. Therefore, to send a message to all the bus drivers that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated, the penalty for speeding resulting in a death should be sentenced to a maximum of 30 yrs in prison without the possibility of parol. The families of the people who died in this incident should be considered too as well as the passengers that were on the bus before the incident too. Another thing to be considered in this case is revoking the driver benefits of the driver meaning suspend his license and for him not to be able to drive anymore. That will keep him off the street forever.

Overcrowded of the buses is another problem that the government needs to look at. Many bus drivers are more concern about getting the money that they don't care about the safety of the passengers their buses are transporting from one location to another. Under the law, each seat on the bus should only be seated and occupied by one passenger. That is not the case in Samoa on the buses. Other people are sitting on the laps of already seated passengers which is wrong. Every passenger is ask to pay the fare and if one is paying for the fare only to sit on another passenger then that is what you called fraud. The drivers are cheating the people by doing that.

Samoa, toe taga'i i ou faavae ma au tulafono ina ia saogalemu ona tagatanu'u. Aua le naunau i le oa ae ma'imau ai ola o le atunu'u.

The bus driver needs to be thrown in jail for life. He took three people's lives. There must be stronger laws and they need to be enforced by the government. People's safety has to come first. New buses that can take an impact need to be used as well as more buses. Everyone worries about money what about the people.

faamaise le atua i aiga faanoanoa ona o faalavelave faafuasei e lei mafaufauina ae ona ole faatamala o alii ave taavale ua mafua ai ona maimau le soifua o nai tgt ua le tasi ae uatele ma ua tatau ona fai se fuafuaga ale malo mo nei faafitauli soifua ma ia manuia samoa

ae se sele ga le lima kausaga ae oki kagaka e koakolu????.....they must be kidding i mean for reals they should sentence this guy for about 20 years or maybe 50 years to prison for being a jacka** on the road. he should have known better but to stay put on the track that he was on. ua ova le fia maua kupe ae le mafaufau ai i ola o kagaka lae i oga lima. its totally not fair for such a light sentence. if he gets out after five years his drivers license should be removed and his rights to drive a car or bus. whatever is necessary in order for this stupid bus driver not to do any more dangerous things. oh for the love of GOSH, these police officers should come up with a more resonable sentence for manslaughter and for driving reckless. ele kakau oga kuu mamaiga le sala a le ave pasi lea. ia kalosia ia loa lea le lesoga o le fia ulavale i luga o le auala.

one must pay the penalty for stupidity and carelessness
where was the public safety officials? Was he asleep at the wheel as well!
fire the bums for not protecting the public from outlaw bus drivers.