Around eight o'clock, traffic on the section of road between Gulbene and Rezekne was difficult on Monday. Near the turn to Ruga, two serious traffic accidents occurred. In the latest collision, the driver of a passenger car died, reports the Degpunktā program (TV3).
The accident occurred around half past six in the evening in the village of Kapune in the Balvi region. As a result of the incident, a 53-year-old woman, who was driving a passenger car, died. At the moment of impact, the car's roof was torn off, and the vehicle was literally shattered.
"It is known that two trucks and one Nissan passenger car were involved in the traffic accident. Unfortunately, one person died in the accident, and two others were taken to a local medical facility," the police reported.
According to eyewitnesses, the accident unfolded sequentially. One of the trucks was parked on the roadside. According to information obtained during the investigation, the vehicle had not turned on its hazard lights, nor had a warning triangle or any other object indicating partial road blockage been set up. Soon, two unrelated collisions occurred.
"Especially in such weather conditions as now, the contrast on the road is very poor. There is dirt all around, snow lies in places, and a stationary dirty vehicle, especially a truck or trailer, is extremely difficult to notice. This is particularly dangerous when the vehicle's lights are not on. All of this contributes to the occurrence of serious traffic accidents," explained road safety expert CSDD Oskars Irbitis.
The expert explains that in this case, the accident could have been avoided.
"If a vehicle has a malfunction, it is essential to set up a warning sign — to place a hazard triangle. However, looking at the experience of Western countries and changes in legislation in other European states, it is worth noting that there is a mandatory requirement to also use active light warning devices — special flashing beacons. By turning on such beacons in a flashing mode, the vehicle becomes visible from a much greater distance. While a hazard triangle can only be seen from a few hundred meters, active lights on a straight road can be seen even from a kilometer away. Seeing a bright or flashing object ahead, drivers are likely to reduce their speed because they will understand that an unusual situation has arisen on the road," clarified Irbitis.
If the vehicle does not have a triangle, any light source or reflective object that indicates caution can be used to mark the vehicle.
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