CAIRO — A French couple holidaying in Egypt was among four people killed when a truck hit their vehicle head-on Thursday on a highway near the Red Sea coast, a security official and the French consulate said.

The French tourists, aged 59 and 60, were killed along with the Egyptian driver and a tour guide on the road from Marsa Alam to the ancient city of Luxor, a spokesman at the French consulate told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The early morning accident occurred when the truck driver apparently lost control of the steering wheel and crossed into the oncoming traffic lane, the security official said.

Three other people were injured in the accident, including the truck driver and one of his assistants and a tour company employee, the official said.

Egypt’s roads are among the most chaotic and dangerous in the world, with traffic laws widely flouted.

Road accidents kill about 6,000 people and cause 30,000 injuries each year here, also because of poor upkeep of vehicles, according to the transport ministry.

A new highway code came into force in August with the aim of improving road safety.