Budapest overpass horror crash leaves two dead after car plunges from flyover

Two people died and four others were injured in a devastating late-night crash at Budapest’s Göncz Árpád városközpont flyover in District XIII, after five cars collided and one vehicle was sent plunging from the overpass. According to Budapest police, the accident happened at approximately 10:35 PM on Friday on the flyover above the junction of Váci Road and Róbert Károly Boulevard.

Emergency services rushed to the scene in large numbers, with police, paramedics and firefighters closing the overpass for hours while they carried out rescue work and forensic examinations. One victim died at the scene, while another succumbed to injuries on the way to hospital. Four more people were reported injured.

Witness accounts point to illegal street racing

Early reports from eyewitnesses and local media suggest the tragedy may have been caused by illegal street racing involving high-performance cars. Telex reported that an Audi RS7 was allegedly approaching the overpass at very high speed from the direction of the Megyeri Bridge when it veered into the opposite lane. The driver is said to have swerved back after noticing oncoming traffic, clipping two cars before crashing head-on into a Toyota Corolla Cross.

The impact was so violent that the Toyota spun, flew over the barrier and crashed to the road below. Moments later, another vehicle reportedly slammed into the wreckage on the bridge, where visibility had been severely reduced by dust and debris. In total, five vehicles were involved in the pile-up.

Fresh calls for tougher action on illegal racing

After the crash, municipal councillor Dávid Vitézy reacted strongly on social media, calling the victims “another innocent casualty” of unlawful racing in the capital.

He argued that Budapest urgently needs more fixed speed cameras, harsher penalties for repeat speed offenders, and significantly tougher punishments specifically targeting illegal racing. According to Vitézy, the force of the Audi’s collision was so extreme that the Toyota did not simply break through the barrier but was launched over it.

Investigation under way

Police have not yet officially confirmed whether racing was the direct cause of the crash, but the circumstances described by witnesses and the scale of the destruction have already intensified public debate over reckless driving in Budapest.

The official investigation is ongoing, and authorities are expected to examine CCTV footage, witness statements and vehicle data to establish the precise sequence of events.

If you missed it: Tragedy in Budapest: 14-year-old boy dies after HÉV accident while using phone and earphones