Unlicensed Teen Driver Dies in Highway Crash Near Zagreb

An 18-year-old woman died in a serious traffic accident on the A1 highway near Zagreb on Saturday morning, July 19, 2026. Police investigations revealed that the young driver was operating the vehicle without a valid license.

The accident occurred around 9 a.m. as the driver, operating a BMW with Zagreb license plates, was traveling in the left lane. According to the police report, she failed to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle ahead. In an attempt to avoid a collision, she abruptly swerved left.

Her maneuver caused the front of her BMW to collide with the rear of an Opel Astra, registered in Hungary and driven by a 56-year-old Hungarian national. The impact forced the BMW off the roadway, where it struck a guardrail and two trees before coming to a stop. The 18-year-old driver sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Traffic on the southern carriageway of the A1 highway towards Zagreb was temporarily halted for approximately 16 minutes to allow for the accident investigation. The victim's body was transported to the Institute of Forensic Medicine and Criminology in Zagreb for further examination. The investigation into the precise circumstances of the crash is ongoing.