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Sat, Nov 21 2009
Bulgaria leads EU in traffic deaths
A crashed coach lies on the side of A2 autobahn near Lieboch in Austria's Styria province June 21, 2009
Over 39 000 people have died in traffic accidents in the European Union in 2008, the Bulgarian news agency BTA has reported, down 8.5 per cent over the previous year.
The safest countries to drive in Europe are Sweden, the Netherlands, Great Britain, and Switzerland – or less than 50 deaths per one million population, followed by Norway, Germany, Ireland, Finland, Spain, France, Denmark, Luxembourg and Italy.
Most other countries exceed the norm, with Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Poland and Lithuania reaching as high as 150 deaths per million people.
For the period 2001-2008, safety conditions in France, Luxembourg and Portugal have witnessed the most dramatic improvements, whereas in Romania and Bulgaria, they have actually deteriorated.
The European Union aims to slash road deaths in 2010 by a half in comparison to 2001 figures, but those figures appear to be too ambitious. In accordance to the current rate of decline, seven to eight more years would be necessary for this to be accomplished, although some countries like France, Belgium and Spain are indicating better improvement than others.
In 2001, a total of 54 400 people lost their lives, and since then, the annual average decrease has been about 4.4 per cent.
The safest countries to drive in Europe are Sweden, the Netherlands, Great Britain, and Switzerland – or less than 50 deaths per one million population, followed by Norway, Germany, Ireland, Finland, Spain, France, Denmark, Luxembourg and Italy.
Most other countries exceed the norm, with Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Poland and Lithuania reaching as high as 150 deaths per million people.
For the period 2001-2008, safety conditions in France, Luxembourg and Portugal have witnessed the most dramatic improvements, whereas in Romania and Bulgaria, they have actually deteriorated.
The European Union aims to slash road deaths in 2010 by a half in comparison to 2001 figures, but those figures appear to be too ambitious. In accordance to the current rate of decline, seven to eight more years would be necessary for this to be accomplished, although some countries like France, Belgium and Spain are indicating better improvement than others.
In 2001, a total of 54 400 people lost their lives, and since then, the annual average decrease has been about 4.4 per cent.
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Prime Minister's motorcade in traffic accident
The crash happened as a government Ford Escort, a Seat with a Blagoevgrad licence plates and a lorry were involved in multiple collisions, leaving two people injured. Eyewitness reports blame the 'manic driving' of the Government convoy
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Officers of the traffic police would stop responding to reports of minor car accidents, but they would arrive if there was a suspicion that the driver causing the accident was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the press centre of the Interior Ministry announced on its website on January 30 2009.
Snow patrol
As if to demonstrate administrative impotence to react to emergency situations, at the beginning of every year Mother Nature just throws the sky's doors open and there we have it: clean, beautiful, perfectly shaped snowflakes, peacefully falling on half-completed Bulgarian highways, patched secondary roads, long-forgotten third class strips, city streets, pavements...or just getting caught on the tongue of a happy youngster, sliding on a snow-covered park mound.
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Early on January 5 2009, Sofia Airport is fully operational and there are no cancelled flights due to weather conditions, Bulgarian Telegraph Agency reported, quoting airport management. Runways are clear of snow and any cancelled flights are due to the relevant airlines' business decisions, not inclement weather conditions. Some minimal delays of 20 minutes, however, have been reported.
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This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained .
I have always wondered wheter Bulgarian drivers know the purpose of pedestrian crossings! On several occasions I have witnessed drivers who seem to drive even faster rather than slowing down when they see someone crossing the road using the zebra lines!
This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained .
Nothing will change!! The funds set aside for improved infrastructure will be mismanaged this is absolutely guaranteed.
It would be a good start if say the local council appoint community police officers to visit say primary schools and commence to educate the classes on basic road safety/rules before they obtain their licence etc.
It never ceases to amaze me how their are so many problems here yet many simply solution/s.
I think that we in the UK take for granted the massive improvements to road safety since our carnage days of the 60's/70's. It's simple to design most danger out of roads by there design. Bulgaria will eventually follow suit if the road money ever finds it's way to the right place. Until then they will sadly lose too many of there people prematurely and needlessly
Being a Romanian citizen who lived in the US & western EU the past 7 years I can confirm that I see a deteriorating picture of road safety in my country. There are too many cars with more and more horsepower driven on inadequate roads with ever higher stress levels. There is also a disrespect towards traffic and safety rules, seat belt laws etc. I hope to do my part in changing that when I return.
Situation in fact is (much) worse. Compare kms driven in Bulgaria to those driven in Western Europe...
Death rate / driven kilometer gives a better impression.
Overtaking often looks extremely dangerous. It's time for serious measures? Maintenance of laws is the most important. Infrastructure inside towns or cheaper sections 'inter - town'. Starting by ... statistical analysis with a more serious data-base!
Would like to add another very important point:
5. The lack of proper roads connecting the bigger cities. There are just two lane roads on which one can find drivers maintaining totally different speeds, which leads to insane overtaking actions. If there would be decent highways with crash barriers dividing the opposing directions, the deathtoll would 50% to 75% less. In short, the BG state is (indirectly) responsible for all the casualties in traffic as they are hesitating to construct these highways for years already.
Having lived in Bulgaria for over 5 years I have noticed the following..
1) Too many bulgarians are driving without glasses who urgently need them
2) Too many bulgarians have no interest in obeying the driving rules and regulations
3) The police have no interest in enforcing the rules and regulations
4) Bulgarians do not seem to know what seat belts are for