Krassimir Georgiev from the Association for Qualification of Motorists in Bulgaria and Eng. Georgi Zlatev from the Bulgarian Industry Chamber “Roads“, who commented on the series of serious road accidents in recent days in the studio of “Your Day“ on NOVA NEWS.
According to Krasimir Georgiev, the state of road safety in our country has been deteriorating for years.
“We neglected and destroyed everything that had been built, and nothing new and better was created. Control has been replaced by chaos and institutional accumulation of structures, but without real results“, he said. According to him, the poor training of drivers and the lack of effective control lead to systemic errors and serious consequences on the road.
Eng. Georgi Zlatev presented a different interpretation of the road accident on “Hemus”, pointing out that the accident occurred on a straight stretch of road with good visibility and excellent infrastructure after repairs. According to him, the speed limit on the section allows movement of up to 100 km/h for buses and trucks, and the most likely reason is a significant difference in speeds between the two vehicles.
He added that with good visibility of over 200 meters, the driver had the technical ability to react earlier, and not overtake at the last moment.
Krassimir Georgiev agreed that the infrastructure on the section is in good condition and that the main problem is most likely human error, possibly also influenced by driver fatigue.
Regarding the possibilities for preventing hail and serious road accidents through control systems and anti-hail protection missiles, Georgiev stated that the existing mechanisms are not always effective.
“These systems have limited effect and cannot guarantee full control over atmospheric phenomena of such force“, he pointed out he.
During the conversation, the role of control bodies and the sanction system was also discussed. Georgiev criticized the approach in which the main emphasis falls on fines and statistics, instead of on prevention and change in the behavior of drivers.
Eng. Zlatev proposed the introduction of mandatory video recorders in buses and trucks to facilitate the investigation of incidents and increase transparency.
According to him, it is also necessary to tighten the requirements for professional drivers and stricter control over their violations, giving priority to safety over schedules and economic pressure.
The two experts agreed on the need for systemic changes in control and legislation, as well as stricter regulation of carriers and professional drivers.
The topic of the use of seat belts in buses was also raised, emphasizing that they are mandatory where available and could reduce the severity of the consequences of such incidents.
The guests also commented on the delays in blood samples after field drug tests, emphasizing the need for a more independent and faster laboratory system, separated from the structures of the Ministry of Interior.