The accident in Varna, in which a car crashed onto the sidewalk, sweeping away two women, and then crashed into a store - is a tragic incident. I listened to the commentary of my colleague on television, who said that in addition to high speed - the reason for what happened could also be due to a health problem of the driver. It may also be because of this that he lost control of the car. This was commented on the program “Denyat na Live” on NOVA News by the former head of the traffic police - Sofia Tencho Tenev regarding the serious accident in our seaside capital on Monday.
And he added: “Most likely, the driver was in a hurry to get somewhere and did not see that the traffic light had turned red. He continued towards the intersection and could not control the car".
Regarding the ongoing road accidents due to high speed and recklessness of drivers - Tenev recalled that for a long time he and his colleague wanted to create and adopt a Law on Road Hooliganism by the National Assembly. "In this way, all these young and reckless drivers will be held accountable by the Ministry of Interior bodies. This way, they can be checked by regional inspectors and other services, and there will be full control over them. They will be sanctioned with warning protocols, and if they are caught a second time in violation - the act will be criminalized. And then the sanctions and control over them will be much stricter", explained the former head of the Sofia Traffic Police.
He expressed regret that the idea did not receive a good response in the current parliament. And he stressed that he hopes that in the next National Assembly there will be more competent deputies who will take this to heart. "This way they will help people, especially conscientious drivers who travel normally on the roads of Bulgaria, so that there will be truly more serious control over reckless drivers", Tenev pointed out.
According to him, fines for using a phone while driving should be drastically increased. The reason - the use of mobile devices without hands-free is responsible for a large part of serious traffic accidents. This diverts the driver's attention and there is a lack of control over the road situation.
"Now you will see what will happen when the first snow falls. It is expected in the next few hours - that there will be a snow cover. Then the number of traffic accidents will increase sharply - especially in the capital. From 50-100 per day, they will increase to about 300 with the first snow. All this is due to distraction and failure to maintain distance. That's why serious accidents happen," Tenev is categorical.
According to him, if a driver is caught talking on the phone while driving - for the first violation, the fine should be about 500 leva. "For the second violation - deprivation of the right to drive for a period of at least 3 months. Only then will drivers get scared and stop using their mobile phones in cars or switch to wireless devices. To drive the car, watch the road and talk on the phone, but through wireless means, not with the phone in hand", he said.
Regarding driving after using alcohol and drugs, the former head of the Sofia Traffic Police was categorical that such drivers - should be tried quickly - within a month and sent to prison. "This is the only way we can stop drunk and drugged drivers. What is happening right now? His driver's license is taken away, a long pre-trial procedure is initiated, half a year, a year, two years pass and there is no conviction. During this period, the same driver can get back into a car and drive, as we have had in our practice," he recalled.