Knežević on the serious traffic accident on the Lipci-Grahovo road: It is too early to talk about the causes

Chief Inspector for Road Traffic Vladimir Knežević stated on Boje jutra on Vijesti Television that after a serious traffic accident on the Lipci-Grahovo road, in which one person died and 16 were injured, it is too early to talk about the causes, because the investigation is still ongoing.

He emphasizes that the final word will be given by the traffic expert, but also reminds that the human factor and the health condition of drivers are among the most common causes of traffic accidents.

Commenting on preliminary police information that one of the possible causes of the accident could be driver fatigue and drowsiness, Knežević emphasized that conclusions must be delayed.

"After a traffic accident like this, one should not make blanket statements and unverified information. The State Prosecutor's Office and the Police Directorate are collecting evidence, and after a traffic expert examination, the real cause of the accident will be known," he said.

He added that traffic accidents are influenced by multiple factors - the driver, the vehicle, the road, but also unforeseen circumstances, such as a sudden health problem for the driver.

Speaking about the specific case, Knežević stated that, according to the information he has, the minibus driver has not been driving the vehicle in the last few days and that he was not registered as a risky driver.

When asked whether it was controversial that the driver was 68 years old, Knežević reminded that the current Law on Road Transport raised the age limit for professional drivers from 67 to 70 years.

"This amendment was adopted, among other things, due to the lack of professional drivers. The ministry had to find a balance between the needs of transporters and traffic safety," he said.

He pointed out that the law does not prescribe more frequent medical examinations for older professional drivers, but that an examination is mandatory at least once every three years.

"In my opinion, it is more important how thorough the medical examinations are than how often they are performed," said Knežević.

He added that inspectors and police officers can refer a driver for an emergency medical examination if they suspect that he is not capable of safely operating a vehicle.

Knežević announced that the Road Traffic Inspectorate currently has only three enforcement officers, who have carried out around 5.000 inspections since the beginning of the year.

During that period, around 640 misdemeanor warrants were issued in a total amount of approximately 290.000 euros.

As he stated, the most common irregularities relate to drivers' working hours, while in the last month two serious cases of tachograph manipulation have been discovered at foreign transport companies.

"We had a transport company from Serbia and one from Ukraine whose drivers used other people's cards, thus concealing their actual working hours. Fines of 7.000 euros were imposed for such violations," said Knežević.

According to him, buses operating in Montenegro are generally in good technical condition and undergo regular technical inspections every six months.

"Personally, I think that the human factor is a much more common cause of traffic accidents than technical vehicle malfunction," he said.

However, he added that the inspection responds to passenger reports, especially when they relate to faulty air conditioning or exceeding the number of passengers.

"A bus must have a working air conditioner to meet the license requirements. When we receive an application, we immediately go out into the field and carry out an inspection," said Knežević.