New road safety measures following severe incidents in Bulgaria

In the context of growing concerns about road safety in Bulgaria, the chairman of the parliamentary transport committee, Kiril Dobrev, called for a change in driving culture among young people. In a social media post, distributed by the BSP press center, Dobrev emphasized the need to reorient youth values from "car speed" to "skills and achievements".

Dobrev proposes investments in sports, culture, and education as an alternative to the so-called "power identity". He welcomes the new changes in the Road Traffic Act, which introduce stricter sanctions for aggressive driving, speeding, and dangerous overtaking, but emphasizes that legislative measures alone are not sufficient.

"The law will only have an effect if it is consistently applied, supported by active institutions and a society that clearly states that the road is a place for sharing, not for demonstrating power", Dobrev said.

The chairman of the transport committee emphasizes prevention as a key factor in reducing incidents. He proposes a number of measures, including:

• Educational campaigns in schools
• Safe driving training
• Promoting a culture of tolerance among traffic participants
• Early work with risk groups

"When aggression is prevented, rather than punished after the fact, society wins - with fewer victims, less suffering, and more trust on the roads", Dobrev emphasized.

Alarming Statistics and Recent Incidents

Meanwhile, Ministry of Interior statistics show alarming data on the road situation in the country. In the last 24 hours, five deaths and 34 injuries have been registered in road incidents.

The "Gendarmerie" Directorate reported 411 violations of the Road Traffic Act for the period from August 9 to 15 alone. Two cases of driving after alcohol consumption with a concentration above 1.2 per mille were detected, as well as one case of driving after drug use.

This morning in Sofia, a severe crash between a bus and a car was registered, resulting in one death and four injuries. Commissioner Martin Tsurinski, Deputy Head of the "Traffic Police" Department at the Sofia Directorate of Interior, reported that the car driver was born in 2004 and only received his driver's license on August 1 this year. In the two weeks he has been a driver, the young man already has six tickets for minor violations.

Two chain collisions involving a total of nine vehicles occurred on the Northern Speed Tangent of the Sofia ring road, the Sofia Directorate of Interior reported.

Another serious incident was registered in the "Sunny Beach" resort complex. Five people, including three children, were transported to a Burgas hospital after being hit by a motor vehicle driven by an 18-year-old youth. Two of the injured - a small child and a woman - are in intensive care.

These incidents highlight the urgent need for a comprehensive approach to road safety, including both legislative measures and changes in driving culture and public attitudes.