Two people were killed, while 36 others escaped with their lives after the bus they were on smashed into a divider near the Gunung Semanggol rest area in Perak today.

Bernama reported that one of the victims, Penangite Ho Mei Liang, 46, was flung out of the bus through the windshield, and died at the scene of the accident.

The second victim, bus driver Zulkifli Mohd Yusof, who was seriously injured in the crash, died while being treated at the Gunung Semanggol health clinic.

Kerian district police chief Omar Bakhtiar Yaacob said the 5.45pm accident occurred when the driver of the Plusliner express bus, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Penang, reportedly lost control while trying to avoid a tyre that had fallen onto the right lane of the North-South Expressway.

"When the bus (driver) wanted to avoid (the tyre), it hit the divider in the middle of the highway," the national news agency quoted Omar as saying.

The case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for causing death by dangerous or reckless driving.

Meanwhile, one of the survivors, Hashimi Abdullah, 50, said he and his son were flung out of their seats during the crash, but escaped unharmed, while his wife sustained minor injuries to her hand and feet.

"I'm grateful that we survived this accident," he said.

The accident caused traffic to back up for 10km.