Bulgarian traffic police to begin large-scale breathalyser, roadworthiness checks in Sofia
Sofia’s traffic police were scheduled to begin on November 5 2012 large-scale checks for drink-driving, lack of roadworthiness of cars and for unlicensed drivers.
Borrowing what public broadcaster Bulgarian National Television described as a method used by Dutch police,Bulgaria’s traffic police intended to conduct checks of motorists and vehicles while cars were stopped at traffic lights at busy intersections.
Motorists would be checked for drink-driving and driving while under the influence of illegal narcotics, while – with winter weather on its way – traffic police also would look at the condition of lights, tyres and windscreen wipers, BNT said.
The method of checks at traffic lights would allow traffic police, operating in teams, to carry out up to 10 checks simultaneously, the report said.
The fine for driving with worn tyres is 50 leva (about 25 euro) while the fines for other forms of lack of roadworthiness of cars range from 20 to 120 leva.
Mobile cameras would also be used as part of the campaign,Sofiatraffic police chief Bogdan Minchev said.
(Photo: Asif Akbar/sxc.hu)
