Three Amish siblings were killed on their way to school when a teen driver rear-ended their horse-drawn buggy in rural Indiana, reigniting concerns over road safety for Amish communities.
At a Glance
- Three Amish siblings died in a buggy crash near Bremen, Indiana
- A 17-year-old driver rear-ended the buggy with a Mercedes-Benz SUV
- The children were ejected and died at the scene
- The SUV driver was uninjured; investigation is ongoing
- The incident renews focus on Amish road safety and regulations
Fatal Collision Near Bremen
On the morning of April 9, 2025, a tragic accident occurred near the intersection of Fir Road and 4th Road, just south of Bremen, Indiana. Three Amish siblings—Glenda Jo Yoder, 13; Darrell Yoder, 10; and Devon Yoder, 9—were traveling in their horse-drawn buggy to school when a southbound Mercedes-Benz GLA, driven by a 17-year-old, collided with the rear of their vehicle. The impact ejected all three children from the buggy, resulting in their deaths at the scene, according to WSBT.
Emergency responders, including a medical helicopter and accident reconstructionist, were dispatched to the scene. The driver of the SUV was uninjured, and authorities have not released further details as the investigation continues, per 14 News.
Watch WSBT’s full report on the tragedy.
Community Mourning and Safety Concerns
Residents of the Bremen community are mourning the loss of the Yoder children, who were known to travel together by buggy each morning. A neighbor, identified as Katie, expressed the heartbreak and concerns over the hazards these slow-moving vehicles face when sharing roads with fast-moving traffic. As she told the New York Post, “They just pick each other up and ride together.”
Indiana is home to one of the largest Amish populations in the U.S., with more than 63,000 Amish residents relying on horse-drawn transportation. These vehicles lack modern safety features such as airbags or seatbelts, and while many use reflective triangles or lanterns, visibility remains a major concern. A 2021 Purdue University study found that crashes involving buggies and motor vehicles often result in fatalities, disproportionately affecting children.
Regulatory Challenges and Cultural Sensitivity
Currently, Indiana does not impose a minimum age requirement to operate a horse-drawn buggy. Some advocates have pushed for changes, including mandatory use of reflective tape, lights, or even radio-frequency identification systems to improve visibility. However, others caution that such measures could infringe on religious practices. Attorney Dan Armstrong summed up the dilemma in an interview with NewsBreak, stating, “One of the difficulties of course is not infringing on the way of life of a segment of the population. Trying to make that balance between making the roads safer, but at the same time accommodating people who live a certain way and have certain beliefs.”
Efforts to enhance safety must balance the urgency of preventing further tragedies with respect for cultural and religious traditions. As the community mourns, discussions continue on how to protect vulnerable road users without compromising core Amish values.
