Three days after the horrific accidents on the Šabac-Ruma highway, in which four people died, the number of cases of driving in the opposite direction jumped at an incredible speed.
According to reports, mostly citizens on social networks, in a very short time as many as five driving in the opposite direction were recorded, and that only a day after the tragedy on the highway Sabac-Ruma, precisely because of driving in the opposite direction.
Drivers entered in the opposite direction and moved in the lane intended for vehicles coming from the opposite direction, while other road users avoided direct collisions at the last moment.
Ministry of Interior (MUP) appealed to drivers to show responsibility and caution in traffic, due to the increase in the number of cases of illegal driving in the opposite direction.
"In the last two weeks, members of the Traffic Police Administration, in cooperation with the Traffic Police Administration of the Police Administration for the city of Belgrade and the traffic police departments of the police administrations in Valjevo, Novi Sad and Požarevac, shed light on five such cases," the Ministry of Interior states, adding.
"At the same time, we thank the citizens who, with their reports to the competent police unit, as well as posts on social networks, contribute to the detection and sanctioning of such violations and thus make a significant contribution to the improvement of traffic safety," the announcement reads.
Latest recorded cases
Driving in the opposite direction on Serbian highways is becoming more and more common these days, turning into a serious traffic problem.
Let us remind you that in the tragedy on the Šabac-Ruma highway, which occurred when a car entered the highway in the opposite direction and directly collided with another vehicle, four people lost their lives. The driver of the "Ford" car was driving in the opposite direction at a speed of 130 per hour.
However, after this traffic accident, a whole series of identical situations followed. The first was recorded on the highway "Miloš Veliki" in the direction from Surčin to New Belgrade. Drivers noticed a gray "Alfa Romeo" with Bosnian license plates.
Then, on the highway in Novi Sad, in a short period of time, a driver was filmed who turned off incorrectly and ended up in the wrong direction.
The third drive in the opposite direction, according to citizens, was seen from the direction of Ripnj, not far from the local gas station. It is a white van.
On the old Novi Sad road near Zemun, the driver of a "Volvo" car was also recorded driving in the opposite direction.
Yesterday (April 29) a video of a truck moving in the opposite direction at the exit near Dobanovci appeared on the networks.
The main cause of driving in the opposite direction
Experts warn that entering the highway in the wrong direction is one of the most dangerous situations in road traffic, because it often leaves almost no chance to react.
A big factor is human, where fatigue and alcohol consumption stand out, traffic experts point out that several factors influence the occurrence of a traffic accident, but also for driving in the opposite direction, stressing that a medical certificate is very important for drivers.
Photo: Tanjug / Amir HazlagićDriving in the opposite direction is becoming a serious problem in Serbia
The cause of entering in the opposite direction can also be outdated signaling on certain sections, where modern visual warning systems such as light signs that would immediately alert the driver when attempting to enter in the wrong direction are missing, writes NIN.
Digital maps and GPS systems can also mislead drivers, especially on sections of road that are new, as such new sections are not updated in older navigation systems. Generally, in the majority of cases, older drivers are the ones who drive in the opposite direction.
What to do in such a situation
"What the message is to everyone is how the driver behaves in a situation when this vehicle comes to meet him. What we advise is that he must move from the right side, try to turn on all four direction indicators and warn other traffic participants. If there is any extension, he must stop there and call the police," Veljko Ćurčić, assistant director of the Traffic Safety Agency, told "Juronjuz".
Retired professor of the Faculty of Traffic Milan Vujanić told "Danas" that if the driver makes sure that there are no oncoming vehicles, he can turn in the right direction.
"He must stop in the stop lane or wait until there are no vehicles and then turn in the right direction and exit at the right place where he can. He can call the service of the Serbian Automobile Association to help him, because then they can come from the right direction and load him and tow him away. In any case, he must not continue driving in that lane," says Vujanić.
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