TRUJILLO, VENEZUELA (BNO NEWS) -- At least thirteen people were killed on early Monday morning when a passenger bus collided with a truck in northwestern Venezuela, officials said on Tuesday.

The accident happened at around 4.30 a.m. local time when the passenger bus collided with a truck carrying sugar cane near Agua Viva check post in the Aguas Calientes sector of Trujillo state, according to officials.

Trujillo Governor Hugo Cabezas confirmed the deaths of 13 people while medical officials said 40 people sustained injuries, some of them seriously. The victims were transported to the Central Hospital of Valera for treatment.

In addition, the accident also caused the truck to hit a second transportation vehicle traveling from Caracas to Vigia. The third vehicle was carrying children and youth on a vacation trip, but there were no reports of injuries among them.

Investigations are ongoing as the cause of the accident is still uncertain. However, authorities believe the driver of the truck tried to pass the passenger bus at an excessive speed when the collision happened. Furthermore, heavy transport vehicles are prohibited from traveling in that area at that time of day due to safety reasons.

According to the most recent figures released by the Venezuelan government, road accidents claim around 6,000 lives each year in the South American country. More than 40,000 people were injured in 2007.