Eighteen people were killed and 25 injured when a truck ploughed into a bus in a Moscow suburb on Saturday, according to the Russian emergency ministry.

An eyewitness video of the crash, broadcast on state television, showed the green and white passenger bus's windows shattering as it split in half, forcing other vehicles on the road to swerve wildly out of its way.

Death rates from Russian road accidents are higher than in most Western countries, and lawmakers are moving to toughen drunk-driving penalties.

The country has gained fame for its erratic drivers, with footage of cars overtaking on blind corners, rear-ending each other and careening off the road amassing millions of views on YouTube.-Reuters