The damaged passenger bus is seen at a road accident site in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, March 14, 2018. At least seven passengers lost their lives and 24 others were injured in a road accident in Kandahar province, south of Afghanistan on Wednesday, a local official said. (Xinhua/STR)

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, March 14 (Xinhua) -- At least seven passengers lost their lives and 24 others were injured in a road accident in Kandahar province, south of Afghanistan on Wednesday, a local official said.

"A passenger bus lost control due to reckless driving on Kandahar-Herat Highway today at around noon killing seven commuters on the spot and injuring 24 others," spokesman for Kandahar provincial government Qudratullah Khoshbakht told Xinhua.

The official, however, earlier reported 17 dead in the deadly road accident, but later said that investigation had confirmed seven dead and two dozen others injured.

Congested roads, poor traffic management and reckless driving claim the lives of a large number of travelers in the war-battered Afghanistan annually.