At least 26 students have died in 13 accidents involving university buses across Iran over the past decade, the daily Ham-Mihan reported on Wednesday, reviving concerns about road safety and vehicle standards.
The paper said the latest crash occurred on the Semnan–Sorkheh road when a minibus carrying paramedical students overturned, killing two and injuring 11, three of whom remain in intensive care. Police blamed driver negligence and failure to yield by a truck driver.
Experts told the paper many of the vehicles used by universities are city buses not designed for intercity travel, and often operate without permits.
Fatal accidents in recent years include a 2018 bus crash at Islamic Azad University’s Science and Research branch in Tehran that killed nine, and a 2024 accident in Gilan province.
According to official figures, more than 19,000 people died in traffic accidents in Iran last year, with half of the fatalities recorded in just seven provinces. Health authorities say up to 800,000 people are injured annually, most under the age of 30.
Officials and transport safety experts have pointed to poorly maintained roads, broken speed cameras, low-quality vehicles and lack of oversight as key causes. “Road accidents happen every day, but when the victims are students, society takes notice,” Ham-Mihan quoted safety specialist Hormoz Zakari as saying.
