Minister: It is regrettable to note that Armenia lacks a culture of road safety

ArmInfo. Criminal proceedings have been initiated in connection with a traffic accident near the village of Ushi that killed nine people. RA Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan announced this to journalists on November 4.

According to her, any incident, regardless of the statistical picture, is tragic, and everyone must draw the appropriate conclusions. The minister expressed hope that the investigation will answer questions to understand the causes of such a serious accident. "At this stage, the assessment is purely preliminary, and for this reason, I will refrain from making any comments," the Minister of Internal Affairs said, adding that, according to the most preliminary data from the Patrol Service, the cause of the accident was brake failure on the truck. But this is only a preliminary version; a definitive diagnosis of the causes of the accident will only be possible after the investigation is completed.

"One thing is clear: this is everyone's problem. The Patrol Service must consistently build its capacity by increasing its roadside presence. It is also important to constantly consider road conditions: their improvement, vehicle inspections, which is a sensitive issue, and, of course, driver behavior itself, since problems largely arise in this context," said Arpine Sargsyan.

The minister added that a draft law has already been developed requiring mandatory training for all drivers before obtaining a driver's license. "It is regrettable to note that there is virtually no culture of road behavior in Armenia. Very often, people drive the way they feel comfortable. Of course, the Patrol Service plays a major role in this process by recording all violations." Despite the significant increase in administrative violations, our goal is not to punish drivers by issuing fines, but to change driver behavior," the Interior Minister said.

As a reminder, a major traffic accident, resulting in the deaths of nine people, occurred in Armenia on the evening of November 3. The incident occurred on the serpentine road between Yerevan and Vanadzor, near the village of Ushi and the town of Ohanavan. A truck with a trailer, traveling from Aparan to Yerevan, crashed into a power pole, knocking it down, collided with a Jeep Compass, an Opel Zafira, and a Chevrolet Volt, flattened a roadside trailer, and crashed into a field. Eight people died instantly, one died later in the hospital, and three more people received injuries of varying severity and were taken to the Armenia Medical Center. One of the victims is in critical condition in intensive care.

The Investigative Department of the Armenian Ministry of Internal Affairs has opened a criminal investigation into the tragedy, and the identities of the drivers, vehicle owners, and those killed and injured are being established.