In brief
In Pretoria, the southern Brazilian state of Paraná, a minibus operated by local health authorities collided head‑on with a lorry, killing at least 23 people—among them two children—and injuring five others. The accident, which occurred on the BR‑373 highway at kilometre 209 during the early hours of Wednesday, forced the highway to be closed for nearly seven hours while forensic investigators worked to determine why the two vehicles struck. The casualty toll places the incident in line with Brazil’s growing road‑traffic mortality crisis, according to a 2023 World Bank study that recorded more than 34,000 deaths nationwide, many involving motorcyclists. The bus, which was carrying patients and relatives en route to health appointments in Ponta Grossa, is suspected of contributing to the tragedy, prompting authorities to open an investigation into excessive speed, drunk driving, or mobile‑phone usage as possible causes. This crash echoes earlier February incidents—such as a bus fatality during a pilgrimage—underscoring the urgent need for stricter road safety enforcement in Brazil.
At least 23 people, including two children, lost their lives and five others were injured when a minibus operated by the health authorities of Imbituva collided head‑on with a lorry on the BR‑373 highway in Paraná, Brazil. The crash occurred early on Wednesday morning.
The minibus was transporting patients and relatives to health appointments in Ponta Grossa, approximately 60 kilometres away. The incident took place at kilometer 209 of the highway, causing authorities to lock the road for nearly seven hours while forensic experts investigated the crash site.
An investigation has been launched by Brazil’s federal highway police to determine the root cause of the collision. Preliminary reports suggest possible factors such as excessive speed, inebriated driving, or the use of mobile phones while driving.
The fatality toll is part of a larger pattern of road‑traffic deaths in Brazil. A 2023 study by the World Bank recorded more than 34,000 deaths in traffic accidents across the nation, the majority involving motorcyclists. Earlier this year, in February, 15 people died on a bus carrying pilgrims to a festival in the state of Ceará.
The crash has sparked calls for tighter enforcement of traffic laws and better safety measures on Brazil’s heavily traveled highways.
Image source: Federal Highway Police
