Driver convicted after 10-year-old girl dies in Saarijärvi crash

A court in central Finland has fined a young driver for a fatal accident in Saarijärvi last summer, rejecting claims that a technical fault caused the car to veer off the road, Yle reports.

The crash occurred in June 2024 when the vehicle left a straight stretch of Kokkolantie road, skidded along an embankment for about 40 metres, and then became airborne for roughly 20 metres before landing on its side in a ditch. A 10-year-old girl seated in the rear died, while two adults and another child in the car sustained minor injuries.

The district court sentenced the driver, in their early 20s, to 80 day-fines—totalling €640 based on their income—plus an €80 victim surcharge for endangering traffic safety and causing death. Investigators dismissed the driver’s claim of a mechanical failure, citing no evidence of a fault that could have caused loss of control. Witness testimony suggested the driver had admitted to fatigue before the crash.

Technical examinations of the decade-old combustion-engine car found no defects in the steering or onboard systems. The court concluded the accident resulted from either the driver falling asleep or negligence. Speeding could not be confirmed.

The passengers, all relatives from Jyväskylä, had been travelling to a family gathering in Pietarsaari after collecting items overnight. The ruling, issued in December, is now legally binding.