Studies have shown that raised profile road markings can reduce the likelihood accidents by up to 40% and are particularly important in preventing accidents associated with fatigue or distraction on the road. Therefore, the requirement is included in the construction of road sections with intensive traffic and it is so important to constantly modernize and further develop our road network. This was emphasized by State Agency Road Safety (SARS) Deputy Chairperson Anjelina Toteva at the opening of the 13th National Conference on Transport Infrastructure with International Participation.
“The investments required by road safety are really huge, yet we should constantly strive to improve the infrastructure and introduce more prevention measures,” Anjelina Toteva said. She also referred to the organization of road repair works: over the last 10 years, 16 workers lost their lives and 94 were injured in such activities. “While road safety in building new infrastructure is usually about large investments, what we talk about here is better organization and awareness of the hazards of what we are doing”, SARS Deputy Chairperson added. In her words, one of the main priorities is for a targeted road safety budget to be available at the national level and for road safety audits to expand their scope and importance.
In the first eight months of the year, Traffic Police established more than 600,000 speed limit violations, as shown from her statement. “People’s behavior is also directly related to traffic safety. Therefore, we should take measures in all relevant areas, including more infrastructure solutions to calm the speed,” Anjelina Toteva said. SARS Deputy Chairperson urged all construction companies to remember that there are real people and thousands of human destinies behind road trauma statistics, to not allow any compromises, and to continue to improve themselves.
The opening of the event was attended by Road Infrastructure Agency Board Member Ivan Dosev; Prof. Dr. Eng. Ivan Markov, Rector of the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy (UACEG); Assoc. Prof. Eng. Ivaylo Ivanov, Dean of the Faculty of Transport Construction at UACEG; Fabrizio Zarcone, World Bank Country Manager for Bulgaria, Czech Republic and Slovakia, Europe and Central Asia; Prof. D.Sc. Nikolay Mihaylov, Chairman of the Conference Organizing Committee; representatives of institutions, NGOs, the academic community, the industry, etc.
The conference has been held annually since 2007. Its organizers are the Department of Roads and Transport Facilities at UACEG, the Institute of Transport Construction and Infrastructure, the National Committee of Bulgaria to the World Road Association (PIARC) – Bulgarian Forum of Transport Infrastructure Association. The event is held under the auspices of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, the Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications, State Agency Road Safety.
State Agency Road Safety puts the theme of road safety in the focus of the conference, with three topics in its program related to the organization of road repair works, good examples of road safety in the construction of infrastructure sites, and control by technical means.