An electric taxi dramatically plunged into the iconic Bundaran Hotel Indonesia (HI) pond in Central Jakarta on Wednesday morning, March 25, after colliding with a road barrier. The unusual incident at one of the capital’s busiest intersections quickly drew attention, highlighting immediate concerns about urban road safety.
Authorities quickly responded to the scene. AKBP Ojo Ruslani, Head of Law Enforcement for the Jakarta Metro Police Traffic Directorate, confirmed that the driver involved was an online taxi driver who had only been operating the vehicle for a mere three months. “The individual is an online taxi driver. They have only been driving this car for three months,” Ojo stated when contacted on Wednesday, March 25, underscoring the driver’s relative inexperience with the specific vehicle.
Describing the sequence of events, Ojo elaborated that the black BYD electric vehicle, driven by an individual identified as KJS, was traveling north along Jalan MH Thamrin in Central Jakarta. Upon reaching the fateful location, specifically the Bundaran HI roundabout, the driver is suspected of having acted carelessly. This alleged lapse in judgment led the BYD ME 8 (license plate B-1276-UNT) to collide violently with a road barrier, subsequently bouncing off and plunging directly into the surrounding pond.
Further police examination of the driver revealed no indications of alcohol consumption, ruling out intoxication as a contributing factor to the accident. Despite this, the impact caused significant damage to the front body of the electric taxi. Beyond the vehicle itself, the public infrastructure also bore the brunt of the collision, with both the road barrier and the adjacent sidewalk sustaining considerable damage from the force of the incident.
Fortunately, AKBP Ojo confirmed that the incident resulted in no fatalities or injuries. “There were no passengers inside, and no casualties,” he stated, a silver lining amidst the chaos. However, the driver faces legal consequences for the traffic accident. They have been charged under Article 310 of Law No. 22 Year 2009 concerning Traffic and Road Transportation (LLAJ). This statute stipulates: ‘(1) Every person who drives a Motorized Vehicle and, due to their negligence, causes a Traffic Accident resulting in damage to the Vehicle and/or goods as referred to in Article 229 paragraph (2), shall be punished with imprisonment for a maximum of 6 (six) months and/or a maximum fine of Rp1,000,000.00 (one million rupiah).’ This underscores the seriousness with which authorities view acts of driver negligence.
While the driver will not be detained, Ojo emphasized that due to their driving negligence, they are obligated to cover the costs of the damaged public infrastructure. “There is an obligation to replace the damaged facilities, and this will be calculated by the DKI Provincial Government. No detention,” he concluded. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the responsibilities that come with operating a vehicle, especially in densely populated urban environments like Jakarta, and the potential far-reaching consequences of even a moment’s inattention.
Summary
An electric taxi crashed into a road barrier and plunged into the Hotel