Fatal crash in Estonia: unlicensed, intoxicated driver tried to flee; 18-year-old passenger killed
On Sunday evening, a fatal traffic accident occurred in Tapa municipality, Lääne-Viru County, claiming the life of an 18-year-old passenger. The driver, who lacked a license and showed signs of intoxication, attempted to flee the scene.
The Emergency Response Center received a report of a serious accident in Tapa municipality at 19:26 on Sunday. The crash happened in Raudla village, at the 47-kilometer mark of the Jägala–Käravete road. Preliminary information indicates that a Mazda 3 was traveling towards Jägala. After exiting a curve onto a straight section, the driver lost control, causing the car to veer into the right ditch and roll several times.
Four young people were in the vehicle. One passenger, an 18-year-old sitting in the back seat, was thrown from the car. Despite resuscitation attempts by bystanders and arriving paramedics, he could not be saved and died at the scene.
Reili Uukareda of the Rakvere police said that passersby immediately began helping the injured. While some tried to save the passenger, others noticed that the driver had left the crash site and was running across a field. Witnesses caught him, brought him back to the wrecked car, and handed him over to medics.
Preliminary data show that all passengers except the driver were not wearing seat belts. It was also confirmed that the young driver did not have a driver's license and showed signs of alcohol intoxication. The driver and two passengers—a 16-year-old and an 18-year-old—were taken to the hospital.
All additional circumstances and causes of the tragedy are currently under investigation.
