Preventive education for young people, continuous enforcement on the roads and the use of digital early-warning systems are among the measures that can help limit serious crashes. This was stated by former Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov on the “Denят ON AIR” programme on Bulgaria ON AIR.
His comment comes after the serious pile-up on the “Trakia” Motorway, in which 86 people were injured. As of November 11, 36 of them remained in hospital, while four were in critical condition. The injured were admitted to medical facilities in Sliven, Yambol and Burgas.
Education before obtaining a driving licence
According to Tsvetanov, prevention should begin before young people obtain the legal right to drive a car.
He pointed out that drivers’ behaviour must take changing conditions into account. In his words, fog, rain and icy conditions create prerequisites for pile-ups, especially in heavy traffic.
Infrastructure and enforcement
Tsvetanov described the problems with road safety as systemic and accumulated over the years. The causes he cited include poor road surfaces, a lack of markings and insufficient signage.
As a possible measure, he pointed to the installation of sensors and digital systems that could provide a timely warning of danger. According to him, this could automate some of the responses instead of making them depend solely on human intervention.
The former interior minister also insisted that the funds from the “Road Safety” fund be used for specific policies rather than having no visible effect on traffic safety.
Nearly 6,000 crashes since the beginning of the year
Data from the Ministry of the Interior, cited by Bulgaria ON AIR, show that nearly 6,000 serious crashes have been registered in Bulgaria since the beginning of 2026. A total of 434 people have died and 7,412 have been injured. The number of victims is 49 higher than during the same period of the previous year.
Against this backdrop, Tsvetanov said that political disputes would not lead to change without consistent action, enforcement and investment in road infrastructure. The causes of and responsibility for the specific crash on the “Trakia” Motorway are being investigated by the competent authorities.