A 19-year-old driver crashed into three parked vehicles in Sofia’s Benkovski district. The accident occurred at around 10 p.m. on October 31. No one was injured, but the cars sustained significant material damage.
According to the Ministry of Interior, the cause of the accident was inappropriate speed. The driver's alcohol and drug tests were negative. His driving licence was issued in January this year.
The owner of two of the damaged vehicles, who identified herself as Maya, told “Zdravey, Bulgaria” that she heard a loud crash, after which she saw a car that had almost entirely ended up underneath a van. Smoke was coming from one of the cars, and her family called 112 because of the risk of fire.
According to her, before the police arrived, people from the driver's group removed various items from the trunk. This raised suspicions that canisters of laughing gas were present. Maya уточни, however, that there was no confirmed information that the driver had used such a substance.
The woman also claims that during an independent check she found eight violations committed by the young driver. According to her, the car had been travelling at 56 km/h, and the driver had been issued a €122 ticket without having any penalty points deducted. These claims have not been confirmed in the information provided by the Ministry of Interior.
“It is high time stricter rules were introduced for young drivers,” Maya said. She has submitted reports to the Sofia Directorate of Interior and the district prosecutor’s office, requesting an investigation and sanctions.
Residents call for changes to the boulevard
The crash has once again raised the issue of traffic organisation in the neighbourhood. Residents claim that accidents frequently occur on the main boulevard and that over the years they have submitted reports to the authorities.
“We do not want to count the victims. We would like to prevent the next crash, as this has already become a frequent occurrence in our area,” said Radostina.Local residents are calling for cameras to be installed and for a comprehensive change to traffic arrangements. They say the road safety audit identified problems with U-turns, uneven and inconsistent pedestrian crossings, as well as the need for additional safety measures around the school.
“The road safety audit was prepared in December 2025, but it was presented and discussed with us in July 2026. This means that absolutely nothing happened for six or seven months,” Radostina said.
Sofia Municipality and the Serdika district administration say that a comprehensive audit of traffic organisation was carried out in 2025. On its basis, a project to change the road organisation was commissioned and officially approved on September 1, 2026.
The Sofia Directorate of Interior confirmed that the Traffic Police Department had approved the plan and agreed to its implementation. After the necessary approvals are obtained, Sofia Municipality must provide funding for the implementation of the planned measures.
Sources: nova.bg