La Paz, Sep 12 (IANS): At least six people died, and seven others were injured when a cargo truck going the wrong way collided head-on with a public transit minibus in western Bolivia, according to local authorities.

The accident occurred on Wednesday along a highway connecting the departments of La Paz and Oruro, 35 km from the city of La Paz, the departmental chief of police in La Paz, Edgar Cortez, told local media.

"Unfortunately, this accident has left six people dead, including minors, and several injured who were taken to nearby medical centres," said Cortez.

The minibus, which was headed to the city of La Paz, was carrying 13 people when the head-on collision occurred. The front of the bus was smashed, and the vehicle ran off the road, reports Xinhua news agency.

According to the initial investigation, the driver of the truck fled, and authorities are trying to locate him.

The police chief said the accident once again puts the focus on road safety in Bolivia, where road infrastructure and reckless driving lead to a significant number of deaths each year.