Road Safety Institute: Number of Road Accident Fatalities Increasing

Since the beginning of the year, 133 people have lost their lives in road traffic accidents, marking a 6% increase compared to the same period last year. This was stated in an official position by the Institute for Road Safety, addressed to Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov in response to the government’s efforts to combat the so-called “war on the roads.” According to the organization, there is a growing failure to implement one of the main priorities of the government.

The Road Safety Institute points out that the Council of Ministers’ adopted work program on “Road Traffic Safety” does not contain a single specific measure aimed at the road accident risk management system. Among the 43 measures listed, there are no details about the expected outcomes or the timelines for achieving them. Experts highlight that the language used throughout the programme is vague and consists of general terms such as "increase," "reduce," "improve," "accelerate," "stimulate," and similar expressions, which do not define specific, actionable results.

They note that a significant portion of the proposed measures prioritise educational initiatives and the development of automated systems. Sixteen of these measures involve organizing parent-teacher meetings, training teaching staff, and other similar activities. According to the Institute, these efforts are already included in the National Strategy for the Development of Road Safety (2021–2030), and their real impact would not be measurable until 2040.

“Five of the measures focus on enhancing control—whatever that may mean. Expressions such as 'increased control,' 'joint control,' and 'enhanced control' are aspirational and lack specificity. Furthermore, these objectives do not take into account the actual technical and operational capabilities of the law enforcement bodies,” the statement reads.

Additionally, three of the measures relate to penalties for drivers, such as the deduction of demerit points and similar sanctions. The Institute notes that for the past 20 years, after every major accident that garners public attention, similar actions have been taken, yet it is obvious to all that the results are short-lived and ultimately the problems deepen.

The Institute believes there is no need to establish a new entity to analyze the causes of serious traffic accidents:

“Investigations are currently conducted by the National Investigation Service, investigative police officers, and the prosecution. The fact that no one has analyzed the findings from these investigations so far does not mean a new structure should be created. We remind you that in 2019, the State Agency for Road Safety was established, and it still retains the authority to collect and analyse data on the most serious incidents.”

“The creation of a repository for educational materials and best practices for teaching road safety in the education system is listed as the 36th measure in the programme. This and similar proposals illustrate the inadequacy of the responsible institutions to effectively address road trauma. If a government considers the creation of a ‘repository for materials...’ to be a key priority in road safety, then the ‘war on the roads’ is a war we have clearly already lost,” the statement concludes.