For fifth month, Bulgaria’s road death toll remains lower than in 2019

July 2020 was the fifth consecutive month to see Bulgaria’s road death toll remaining lower than it was at the same point in 2019.

According to preliminary figures posted by Bulgaria’s Interior Ministry on August 1, by July 31 the road death toll was 214, which is 105 fewer than as at the end of July 2019.

The numbers of serious accidents and injuries were also lower, adding up to 3025 accidents by July 31, leaving 3786 people seriously injured.

In July alone, there were 649 accidents, with 37 deaths and 840 people seriously injured.

The trend of a downturn in road deaths began in March, when Bulgaria declared a State of Emergency because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Several weeks of intercity travel restrictions, along with other measures to contain the spread of new coronavirus, contributed to a reduction in traffic on motorways and other major thoroughfares.

The August 1 figures came as Bulgaria’s traffic police said that they were carrying out the latest in a series of special operations to improve road law enforcement, this time concentrated on major routes on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast.

According to European Union statistics released on June 11, Bulgaria had the second-highest road death toll in the EU in 2019. Principal causes of accidents include speeding, dangerous overtaking and drink-driving.

Up until 2017, Bulgaria had the highest road fatality rate in the EU.

(Archive photo: Mario Hains)

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