Traffic law

A few nights ago, I was about to step off the sidewalk to cross the road outside my home when a car hurtled past me. I was startled - not because I was more distracted than usual but because the vehicle was speeding illegally up a one-way street. I caught a glimpse of young people inside. They may have been laughing. I don't know if they even saw me. I felt despair and anger.

Police registered more than 8000 offenses in just a week, half of them committed in the presence of an officer, the Interior Ministry says.

The statistics come as harsher penalties for violators came into effect on Saturday, January 21.

The registration plates of 30 vehicles have been taken off on the first day alone after the new harsher penalties stipulated in amendments to the Road Traffic Act entered into force, announced on bTV the deputy from the Reformist Bloc Nastimir Ananiev, who is also chairman of the Parliamentary Transport Committee.

The amendments to the Road Traffic Act which provide for new harsher penalties will enter in force on Saturday.

The fines for speeding in a residential area are as follows: when speeding at between 31km/h and 40 km/h the fine is BGN 400, for speeding over 40 km/h, the fine is BGN 600 and for speeding over 50 km/h - BGN 700.

Traffic of all vehicles along the Trakia highway in the direction of Burgas in the section of the hub Zimnitsa - Burgas has been restored.

Drivers must pay attention and stick to the speed limit of 80 km/h, warned the Road Infrastructure Agency.

Traffic of all vehicles through the Obzor pass has been restored as well.

There is a kilometer-long queue of trucks and cars at the exit of Dobrich in the direction of Varna.

Due to deteriorating meteorological conditions, the road was closed on Tuesday night and traffic of all types of vehicles is still banned along that route, reported BNR.

More than 10,000 traffic violations have been sanctioned during the holidays, mostly speeding, driving under the influence, and failure to wear a seat belt.

This is according to Aleksandar Radenkovic of the Traffic Police, who added that approximately 500 drunk drivers were discovered over this period and excluded from traffic.

Chief Directorate National Police has called on drivers not to travel during the period January 5-7 unless it is extremely necessary, announced the press centre of the Interior Ministry.

Drivers who have had their license plates confiscated by police for minor offenses can reclaim them as of Monday, authorities said.

The decision was made to facilitate circulation during the holidays.

The rule does not apply to drivers who have committed serious offenses, such as driving under the influence, speeding, running a red light or driving an uninsured vehicle.

Road police officers are beginning mass inspections in the country in order to check whether drivers have prepared their vehicles for the winter.

Under Operation Winter, drivers may now be fined between BGN 20 and BGN 50 if their lights, tyres and the heating inside the car are not in order. The fine may reach BGN 150 for more serious offences.