Amaravati, Aug 4 (IANS): An alert conductor of a state-owned APSRTC bus averted a tragedy after the driver fell off the vehicle after a collision with a car.

Passengers of the bus heaved a sigh of relief after the conductor took to the steering and controlled the vehicle after it had moved about 150 meters without a driver.

The incident occurred on national highway near Kavali town in Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore district on Wednesday. The bus belonging to Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) with 24 passengers was on its way from Kavali to Nellore town.

According to police, a speeding car coming from the opposite direction rammed into the bus. Such was the impact of the collision that the bus driver fell off the vehicle onto the road.

The collision sent panic among bus passengers as the vehicle continued moving without the driver. As the passengers started crying for help, conductor Nagaraju jumped to the driving seat and applied brakes, averting a disaster.

The driver and 10 passengers of the bus received minor injuries in the collision. The car's front portion was badly mangled in the collision but both the occupants survived with injuries.