Croatian A3 highway crash kills child, Bosnian driver faces criminal charge

On 24 July 2026, around 14:30 on the A3 motorway near Lužani, Croatia, two passenger cars collided after the driver of a Bosnian‑registered vehicle failed to keep a safe distance from the car ahead. The impact threw both vehicles onto the shoulder, where they struck a safety barrier and stopped on an emergency lane.

The crash killed a four‑year‑old boy travelling in the Swedish‑registered car, while three other occupants – the Bosnian driver, the Swedish driver and a male passenger – sustained injuries (the driver was seriously hurt, the others lightly). All were taken to the General Hospital in Slavonski Brod for treatment.

Croatian police, together with the County State Prosecutor’s Office, opened a criminal investigation and filed a charge of reckless homicide against the 45‑year‑old Bosnian driver, citing the alleged failure to maintain the required distance as the cause of the collision. The investigation remains ongoing.

Medical crews attempted resuscitation on site, but the child died at the scene. The incident caused a several‑kilometre traffic queue on the A3 while authorities cleared the wreckage.