Bulgaria’s Traffic Police holding road safety ‘Operation Winter’ in November
Bulgaria’s Traffic Police are holding “Operation Winter” in November, with three phases emphasising different aspects of road safety, according to an October 30 statement by the Interior Ministry.
The operation has been held each year since 2014.
The first phase, from November 1 to 10, will focus on bicycles, scooters, animal-drawn vehicles and tractors, with checks on registration, lighting and proper reflective equipment and ensuring that riders wear reflective vests as Bulgarian road traffic law requires.
The second phase, from November 11 to 20, focuses on pedestrians and the behaviour of motorists towards pedestrians, the Interior Ministry statement said.
This phase will involve ensuring pedestrians comply with rules for crossing roads safely, keeping pedestrians off motorways, and ensuring that motorists give way to pedestrians, the statement said.
The
World Day of Remembrance for Road Accident Victims will be marked on
November 15. According to official European Union statistics,
Bulgaria has the second-highest road death rate in the EU.
The
third phase, from November 21 to 30, is entitled “Safe Driving
in Winter”.
This is to focus on, among other aspects, the technical condition of vehicles and the behaviour of motorists towards pedestrians.
Traffic Police will check that vehicles have tyres suitable for winter conditions or with a tread depth not less or equal to four millimetres. They also will check that all the lights on a vehicle are working, as well as its windscreen cleaning system.
During
“Operation Winter” there will be checks on the condition of
road surfaces, road signs and lighting of streets where there is a
high risk of traffic accidents.
Traffic Police issued a series
of recommendations for safe driving in winter conditions.
These include complying with the law that requires cars to be fitted, from November 15 to March 1, with tyres suitable for winter conditions or with a tread depth not less or equal to four millimetres.
As the law requires, there must be a first aid kit, safety triangle, fire extinguisher and reflective vehicle in each vehicle.
In each vehicle, ready for use if needed, there should be snow chains, a blanket, a spade, battery charger and tow rope.
Vehicles should be equipped with antifreeze and windscreen washer fluid should be replaced with one containing an anti-freezing agent.
There should be checks of the serviceability of the heating system, lights and reflectors of the vehicle.
The use of reflective vests by cyclists is mandatory when riding outside populated areas, during the dark part of the day and when visibility is reduced, the Interior Ministry said.
(Photo: Clive Leviev-Sawyer)
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