Road-worthiness test in Bulgaria is a complete scam
The rate of road deaths in Bulgaria has dropped in recent years, but is still close to double the European Union average, and among the worst in the bloc.
Summer 2010 sees the Bulgarian Government become the latest to come up with plans to discourage lemming-like driving, just as the European Commission is putting forward proposals to halve road deaths in the EU by 2020.
In the EU in 2001, the rate of fatalities per million of population was 113;
in 2009 it was 69, a reduction of 36 per cent – an interesting figure in itself, especially if one considers that the EU expanded twice during this time, in 2004 and 2007.
Bulgaria had 128 road deaths per million population in 2001, dropping by 11 per cent to 118 in 2009, according to EU statistics.
Separate to these figures, Bulgarian media reported that by early July, 372 people had died on Bulgarian roads since the beginning of 2010, 14 per cent less than the same period of 2009.
Staying alive
According to Bulgarian media reports, the Government intends a tougher line against speeding, drink driving and driving without a licence.
These offences are the most frequent reasons for fatal road accidents in Bulgaria.
Mass-circulation daily 24 Chassa said that amendments to the Road Traffic Act would, if approved, see speeding fines start at 500 leva and pass the 2000 leva mark for those, as nervous passengers on this country’s roads might put it, know nothing other than how to press down the accelerator.
Bulgarian National Radio said that the Interior Ministry’s strategy for improving traffic safety from 2011 to 2010 had the goal of reducing road deaths by 40 per cent and serious injuries by 20 per cent.
More than half the accidents in Bulgaria are caused by speeding, which is why fines for those exceeding the limits will be among those increased the most.
The amendments also provide for restrictions on those who have had a driving licence for less than six months, requiring that during this time they will not be allowed to drive alone and must be accompanied by a motorist of at least four years’ experience.
Among other measures, the Interior Ministry said that it intended asking the Road Infrastructure Agency to repair Bulgaria’s roads – and in particular, to fix potholes.
Around Europe
On July 20, the European Commission also adopted a 2011-2020 plan, aimed at halving road deaths by the end of the programme.
A hundred people die on Europe’s roads every day, according to Siim Kallas, European Commission Vice President responsible for transport.
In 2009, more than 35 000 people died on the roads of the EU. For every death, there were about four permanently disabling injuries such as damage to the brain or spinal cord;
10 serious injuries;
and 40 minor injuries.
"
We have made good progress since 2001 and we have succeeded in saving nearly 80 000 lives,"
Kallas said. "
But the number of fatalities and injuries on our roads is still unacceptable. We are looking at what kind of cars motorists drive, where they drive and how they drive."
A Euro-barometer survey outlined Europeans’ concerns about road safety. Ninety-four per cent saw drink driving as the most serious safety problem, 78 per cent named speeding, 52 per cent wanted road infrastructure improved, 42 per cent said that traffic laws should be better enforced – and 36 per cent called for dealing "
equally forcefully"
with resident and foreign traffic offenders.
The EC programme has seven "
strategic objectives"
.
One is improved safety measures for vehicles, including mandatory electronic stability control for cars, buses and trucks, mandatory lane departure warning systems for trucks and buses, mandatory automatic emergency braking systems for trucks and buses, and mandatory seat belt reminders for cars and trucks.
Other measures include strengthening of EU legislation on road worthiness tests, building safer road infrastructure (European funds will be granted only to infrastructure compliant with road safety and tunnel safety directives) and boosting of "
smart technology"
.
Strengthening education and training for road users will include the EC working with member states on issues such as the minimum criteria for driving instructors, and probation periods for drivers after passing licence tests.
The EC also envisages EU-wide awareness campaigns.
For drink driving, the EC said, penalties should be accompanied by preventative measures.
"
For example, the Commission will consider legislative measures to require mandatory use of alco-locks for specific professional cases, such as school buses, or in the framework of rehabilitation programmes (for professional and non-professional drivers) after drink driving offences."
The biggest cross-border driving offence is still speeding, the EC said. It said that it would prioritise the adoption of legally binding measures on the cross border exchange of information in the field of road safety to allow for the identification and sanctioning of foreign offenders for seatbelts, speed, alcohol and traffic light offences.
The EC said that there would be a "
special focus on motorcyclists"
.
While other vehicle transport modes have shown significant decreases in fatalities and serious injuries over time, those for PTW (powered two-wheelers) riders have exhibited much lower decreases or remained even static, the EC said.
These measures would include introducing a number of safety measures such as mandatory fitting of Advanced Brake Systems, Automatic Headlamp On and measures so that speed controls on some categories of two-wheelers cannot be removed. Further, technical standards for protective equipment – even including the possibility of air bags for motorcycles "
or including the air bag in the protective clothing"
.
Sat Nov 06, 2010 3:07 pm
