Black Ice Likely Cause of Fatal Crash in Which Former Cherven Bryag Mayor Died

A thin layer of black ice on the road surface is believed to be the main cause of the serious crash that occurred this morning, January 28, on the road between Cherven Bryag and Pleven, in which 58-year-old anaesthesiologist Dr Tsvetan Kostadinov lost his life, Pleven District Prosecutor, Vladimir Nikolov, told Bulgarian National Television (BNT) .

The iaccident occurred at around 7:30am in difficult weather conditions. According to preliminary information, a Scania articulated lorry travelling from Romania towards Sofia lost control and suddenly crossed into the opposite lane, where it collided head-on with a Mercedes passenger car. The driver of the car, who was travelling to Pleven for work, died on the spot.

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Prosecutor Nikolov said that surface icing typical of so-called “black ice” had been found at the scene. Black ice is a thin, invisible film of ice that is extremely slippery. Inspections showed that the road had been covered by a thin layer of ice formed as a result of high humidity overnight followed by a sharp drop in temperatures.

“It was categorically established on site that there was a thin icy coating, which made the road extremely slippery,” the district prosecutor said. Official data from the meteorological services are expected to be requested to confirm the weather conditions at the time of the crash.

As regards the speed of the lorry, initial findings do not indicate that it exceeded the 90km/h limit. However, it is believed that the speed was inappropriate for the specific road and weather conditions, precisely because of the presence of black ice. A final assessment will be made after a full automotive technical examination, including analysis of data from the average-speed cameras installed on that section of road.

Checks have shown that the lorry driver has previous administrative offences under the Road Traffic Act, including the temporary withdrawal of his driving licence in 2022 for driving after consuming alcohol below the criminal threshold.

The prosecution will also examine whether there is any potential liability on the part of the institutions responsible for road maintenance, including whether the road section had been treated in time against icing, Prosecutor Nikolov added. The area is not within an экологical zone where the use of salt and inert materials is prohibited.

It has also been established that there was a dashcam in the car driven by the deceased doctor. If its technical condition allows, the recordings will be retrieved and added to the evidence.

The investigation into the case is ongoing.