A 47-year-old driver with no valid license and a history of severe traffic violations caused a head-on collision on Saturday on the road between the Blagoevgrad villages of Krupnik and Chernitche, according to the Bulgarian National Television (BNT) and the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior in Blagoevgrad. The suspect, a resident of Blagoevgrad, was driving a BMW at a high speed when he veered into the oncoming lane and struck a Mercedes driven by a 24-year-old man from Simitli at 20:55 local time.
The force of the collision left the 47-year-old BMW driver with a severe fracture to his facial bones, requiring emergency transport to a hospital for treatment. Police administered alcohol and drug screenings to the 24-year-old Mercedes driver, and the results were negative.
Offender Accumulated 107 Penalty Points Over Legal Maximum
Prosecutors from the Regional Prosecution Office in Blagoevgrad identified the BMW driver as a repeat traffic offender who had already accumulated 107 penalty points on his record. Under national traffic regulations, the maximum number of control points a driver can possess is 39, meaning the suspect had far exceeded the threshold for losing his driving privileges prior to the crash.
National Traffic Statistics Highlight Road Safety Concerns
The incident occurred amid broader roadway dangers nationwide. The Ministry of the Interior reported that over the preceding 24 hours, the country recorded 19 severe traffic accidents resulting in three deaths and 26 injuries. In the capital city of Sofia, authorities logged 16 minor collisions alongside two severe crashes that left three people injured.
Statistical figures from the Ministry of the Interior show that since the beginning of September, the country has registered 619 severe traffic accidents. These incidents have resulted in 45 fatalities and 770 injuries across national roadways.
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