A Romanian truck stopped in the active lane may have been at the root of the first collision in the serious chain crashes on the Trakia Motorway near Yambol. This was stated by Diana Rusinova, chairwoman of the European Center for Transport Policies, on Nova TV.
According to her, the heavy goods vehicle had stopped in the lane heading towards Burgas, but the reason for stopping has still not been established. Rusinova уточни, че информацията е предварителна и не представлява окончателен извод на разследването.
“We have twice been on the verge of building such a system, and it did not happen,” said Diana Rusinova.Assumption about the collisions in the opposite lane
The expert suggests that the subsequent crashes in the opposite lane may have been caused by drivers who slowed down or stopped to help the injured or record what was happening. She stressed that this, too, is only a preliminary assumption.
The serious accidents occurred between the “Zimnitsa” and “Kabile” interchanges, involving more than 70 passenger cars and heavy goods vehicles. Eleven people died. The Ministry of Health reported that 51 injured people had been admitted to medical facilities – 33 in Sliven, 11 in Yambol and 7 in Burgas. Thirteen of those injured are in serious condition.
According to the Ministry of Interior, visibility was initially around 70–80 metres, and at one point fell to approximately 10 metres. The National Investigation Service is investigating the causes and sequence of the crashes, with expert assessments and analysis of the available recordings and footage expected.
Early warning systems are lacking
Rusinova highlighted the lack of electronic information boards above the motorway. According to her, the first procedure for building such a system led to a contract that was terminated in 2022, while a second public procurement procedure, announced in 2025, was terminated in the summer of 2026.
The chairwoman of the European Center for Transport Policies said that toll cameras cannot replace specialised early warning systems. European countries use sensors for fog, icing and other dangerous conditions, which send automatic alerts and allow speed restrictions to be introduced.
According to Rusinova, such a centre in Bulgaria has been discussed since 2015, but the necessary infrastructure has not been built. She also pointed to the shortage of lorry parking spaces and insufficient oversight as factors increasing the risk of heavy goods vehicles stopping in dangerous locations.
The investigation must establish whether the stopped truck had a technical fault, exactly how the first collision occurred and how the subsequent crashes unfolded. Because of the tragedy, 11 November has been declared a day of national mourning.
Sources: novini.bg, nova.bg, dariknews.bg