7 deadly car attacks from history
A car should never be a weapon. But heartbreakingly, at Crime+Investigation we’ve seen too many cases where that’s exactly what it became. Drivers, motivated by ideology, revenge or rage, have turned vehicles into tools of mass harm and steered them into crowds with deadly intent.
Before we take a closer look at some of the worst car attacks on record, it’s critical to understand that these incidents are not accidental traffic collisions. They’re calculated, deliberate and devastating. Each one deeply traumatised the places they hit and changed the way we think about public safety in open, crowded spaces.
1. Nice, France (2016)
Deaths: 86
Injured: 450+
Bastille Day celebrations in Nice drew more than 25,000 people to the seafront. The mood was jovial until Tunisian-born terrorist Lahouaiej Bouhlel drove his truck for more than a mile along palm-lined Promenade des Anglais. Witnesses reported the driver swerved deliberately to hit as many people as possible with his 19-tonne cargo truck. Police eventually shot him dead, but the damage was already done. 86 people (including the driver) were killed and 450 injured, making it one of the deadliest massacres in peacetime France.
2. Barcelona and Cambrils, Spain (2017)
Deaths: 24
Injured: 150+
Las Ramblas in Barcelona is usually full of tourists, street performers and souvenir stalls. On 17th August 2017, it became a target. A van driven by Younes Abouyaaqoub zigzagged through the crowd and killed 15 people. Hours later, in the coastal town of Cambrils, five more attackers attempted a second strike, resulting in the death of one woman.
Both incidents were linked to the same terrorist cell. Officials later uncovered plans for a much larger attack (like the Boston Marathon bombing) foiled only by an accidental explosion at the group's base. All eight attackers were shot and killed by police, either at the site of the attack or in later raids. In total, more than 150 people from over 30 nations were injured or killed in the attacks.
3. Berlin, Germany (2016)
Deaths: 12
Injured: 56
Just days before Christmas, visitors browsing stalls at a Berlin market enjoyed mulled wine, gingerbread and Bratwurst. It was a winter wonderland until a stolen lorry slammed into the crowd. Like 9/11 perpetrators, the driver (a 24-year-old Tunisian asylum seeker) had links to Islamic extremist groups. He fled but was shot and killed by Italian police a few days later when he pulled out a gun and shot an officer during a routine backpack search.
4. Waukesha, Wisconsin (2021)
Deaths: 6
Injured: 60+
A Christmas parade in a small Midwestern town turned fatal when a red SUV broke through barriers and ploughed through the crowd. Travelling at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour, the driver deliberately zig-zagged to target as many people as possible, including children and the elderly.
The driver, 39-year-old Darrell Brooks showed no remorse when he appeared in court and claimed he was being 'monster-demonised'. Like many British killers, Brooks received multiple life sentences with no possibility of parole.
5. Toronto, Canada (2018)
Deaths: 11
Injured: 15
In broad daylight, 25-year-old Alek Minassian rented a van and drove along Yonge Street, mounting the pavement and hitting pedestrians at random. The attacker later cited misogynistic motivations and aligned himself with the so-called 'incel' movement. His motif? Revenge for supposed sexual and social rejection by women.
Victims ranged in age from 22 to 94 and of course, not all were women due to the chaotic and randomised nature of the attack. The city responded to the hate crime compassionately, with floral tributes filling the street and the #TorontoStrong Fund founded to support victims and their loved ones.
6. London, UK – Westminster Bridge (2017)
Deaths: 6
Injured: 48
Five lives were lost and dozens injured when Khalid Masood steered a car into a crowd of pedestrians on the southern end of Westminster Bridge. His motive? Revenge for Western military intervention in the Middle East. Masood, a British national, died at the scene after being shot by armed officers. The incident forced authorities to take a closer look at public safety and the evolving face of terrorism in Britain.
7. Vancouver, Canada (2025)
Deaths: 11
Injured: 32+
Lapu-Lapu Day (a colourful celebration of Filipino heritage) came to a tragic end on 26th April 2025 when a man drove a vehicle into a crowd. 11 people died and dozens were injured, making it one of the deadliest attacks Vancouver has ever seen.
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