Video: Dutch driver crashes into Paramaribo bus, killing four including child
A Dutch man without a valid driver’s license caused a deadly crash in Paramaribo, Suriname, on Saturday morning, killing four bus passengers, including an 8-year-old child, the Surinamese police reported. The 36-year-old suspect was arrested and is being held in a police cell. In addition to the four fatalities, 21 passengers were injured and transported to hospitals.
Video footage shows the suspect’s white Jaguar SUV speeding across a priority road without yielding to a passenger bus. The bus flipped several times, and some passengers were thrown through its windows.
The driver escaped unharmed and told authorities that his vehicle's brakes failed. Police have conducted alcohol and drug tests, but results have not yet been released.
Justice Minister Harish Monorath visited the scene in the Uitvlugt neighborhood in southern Paramaribo. “We are already at nine traffic deaths in the new year,” Monorath told the local news site SUN.
"Since I took office, we have increased fines and intensified traffic checks," Monorath continued. The vehicle must have been traveling very fast. I ask the public to be aware of how they drive. Ensure safety on the road, at home, and everywhere.”
Traffic safety has long been a concern in Suriname. In 2025, 61 people died in road accidents, down from 78 in 2024. The Traffic Safety Institute attributes the decrease to stricter traffic regulations.
