An 18-year-old created “Black Track” - a map of accidents in Bulgaria. Martin Atanasov's idea came after the death of 12-year-old Siyana. “Black Track“ illustrates systemic problems on roads throughout the country and how they are related to nearly 180,000 accidents in the last 4 years. What else does he want to do… Martin Atanasov speaks to FACT.
- Mr. Atanasov, you created the “black track“ map. What was your attitude when you started, and what did you expect as feedback?
- And in the wildest dreams I never imagined the furor that this whole project would cause. I really hoped that there would be interest from citizens and institutions in the project, because it really makes sense. What happened and continues to happen makes me very happy, because it shows how many people are concerned about the topic of road safety. I want to thank all the people who contacted me. I'm talking about dozens, even hundreds of people who got involved with feedback on the platform. Some of them offered their free help, and IT specialists also contacted me, who suggested that the map be upgraded with various functionalities that I had never thought of. Some people offered their free help as volunteers in the development of these new functionalities. I expect these innovations to see the light of day soon and to be another addition to the usefulness of the platform.
- You mentioned that institutions have also contacted you. Who are they…
- At the moment, there is one meeting that is certain, and which I hope will be implemented very soon. It will be with the management of the Agency “Road Infrastructure“ (API). I am glad that there is a desire for dialogue on their part.
- So there is already a desire for dialogue, because initially you were refused information from the RIA. There was a bit of a clash, so to speak…
- There was not even a clash, but I am still conducting this administrative case to appeal this refusal, because I believe that the procedure for access to public information was not adequately carried out. It is important for citizens to receive information and I very much hope that the institutions, seeing all the public interest, even public pressure that people demonstrated on social networks, will think about the way in which the road safety policy is implemented. There is no dispute that the institutions have a limited framework of possibilities, because they have a certain budget, staff, capacity that they have. When we have a fundamental problem, as we see it is the problem of road safety, these opportunities should not be stopped. Institutions must realize that citizens also understand how big the problem is, because they are the most affected. We see how people die every day. But there are also active citizens. There are those who want to get involved, who want to cooperate and help the institutions with absolutely free labor, because at no point should we fall into extremes. We should not find one more thing to divide us, but let it unite us.
- You say that the death of 12-year-old Siyana provoked all this. But why Siyana? Before that, it was Philip, before that, it was Ani and Yavor. What did Siyana break in you...
- It's not about breaking, but we can call it accumulation. I can't say that it was something specific in the Siyana incident. Disasters are everyday life, and this requires action from all of us. And in everything I did before and now, I try to be useful to society, to be useful to everyone around us.
- This idea with the map that you developed, have you discussed it in your family. Do you talk to your parents about road safety?
- At home, we have commented on the topic many times, because it is super important. I have a sister, we had to know when we were little how to cross safely on pedestrian crossings. I am now a young driver. We have talked about how as a driver I have to be extremely responsible on the road.
- What is the thing that has stuck in your mind when it comes to driving?
- That we are all participants in traffic and we must be responsible - as pedestrians, as passengers, as drivers. The thing that I have remembered is that every driver, getting into the car, becomes a potential murderer. That is why we must be as responsible as possible on the road, driving these several tons of iron. It's just that things are different on the road. We take care of our own lives, but we must also take care of those of others. If we do it unreasonably, not according to the rules, it will not be good. I would say that here things also come down to the mentality of a small part of drivers who think they are immortal, that no one can stop them. And so they create a danger for themselves, but also for everyone else. You can drive correctly, but you don't know who is on the other side. You never know who will get in your way with his several tons of iron.
- If we take the conversation about safe driving out of the house, is this conversation present at school?
- As a student, I have a good view of things and I can't say that there are no classes on safe driving on the roads. There are other such formats that are held with younger children and older students. But, in my opinion, the conversation about road safety should be expanded and developed in the following direction. We - as a society, should in no case allow the behavior of drivers to be inadequate on the road. As a society, we must ensure that drivers behave normally on the road, drive adequately, and do not create risks for themselves and others. We must be responsible to ourselves, but also to everyone else. We can do very small things. For example, a person next to us has drunk 2 beers and is about to get into the car. Let's not let him, let's stop him. Because he risks his own life, but also that of others. If we change this mentality, if it becomes the opposite, it will be different. I am very glad that there are such voices in society, which are becoming more and more. The problem of road safety depends on each of us, on the family, on the drivers, on all of us.
- How do you see the development of this site. What new things will be added, what more information can it give to the people who enter it?
- There are many things that can be done. I will return to the fact that in the last two or three days different developers have contacted me with many ideas. It is about how to add a new function, how to add something more useful. I plan to develop the platform in different directions. The platform will also be useful for institutions to analyze data. I believe that the map will also be useful to people in a purely practical way. Before they set off, they can see what the route is and where there might be a problem. The map will not remain a static site, a statistic that simply exists. I believe that the “black track“ will truly become a working organism that will develop as long as it is needed. I hope that one day even the map will become unnecessary, when the problem is largely solved.