Preschooler Dies After Campervan Collision in Delft

A tragic traffic accident in Delft, Netherlands, on Thursday, March 19, 2026, resulted in the death of a young child after being struck by a reversing campervan. The incident occurred around 3:15 PM local time on the Van der Leeplaats in the Wippolder district, near a construction site.

Details of the Incident

Emergency services responded swiftly to the scene on the Van der Leeplaats, a street in the Schoemaker Plantage neighborhood of Wippolder. Multiple ambulances, police units, and the Mobile Medical Team from Rotterdam were dispatched. A trauma helicopter also landed nearby, prepared to transport the child to a hospital, but the injuries sustained were too severe.

Paramedics performed prolonged resuscitation attempts at the scene, but were unable to revive the child. The child died at the scene. The parents of the child were present during the incident and were provided support by attending officers [3].

Investigation Underway

The Forensische Opsporing Verkeer (FOV), the Dutch Forensic Investigation of Traffic Accidents unit, is currently investigating the precise sequence of events that led to the collision [2]. The driver of the campervan was being questioned by police, as is standard procedure in fatal traffic accidents [1], [3].

Police are actively seeking witnesses and requesting anyone with camera footage of the incident to reach forward [2].

Community Response

Burgemeester Alexander Pechtold, the mayor of Delft, visited the scene following the accident to offer support to those affected [2].

Earlier Incident

On Saturday morning, March 16, 2026, a separate traffic incident occurred on the Arendsweg in Beverwijk, involving a cyclist and a van. The cyclist was injured and transported to a hospital with unspecified injuries. The Arendsweg was temporarily closed during the emergency response [1].