1,300 Traffic Violations in 12 Hours in Sumadija
In just 12 hours of overnight checks, Kragujevac traffic police logged more than 1,300 violations, with one driver clocked at 168 km/h.
- Kragujevac traffic police recorded more than 1,300 violations in just 12 hours on the busiest roads.
- The vast majority, 1,116 fines, were issued for speeding.
- A 57-year-old driver hit 168 km/h in an 80 zone while under a driving ban.
- Sixteen drivers were caught behind the wheel while drunk, one with 2.71 per mille of alcohol.
Kragujevac traffic police recorded more than 1,300 violations in just 12 hours. The stepped-up control covered the busiest roads and streets in the city, during the night of July 9 into July 10. It ran from 5 p.m. until 5 a.m. the next morning.
It was one of the most intensive operations of its kind in Sumadija this summer. Patrols were stationed at several checkpoints, equipped with radars and breathalyzers. The stated goal was to cut the number of serious crashes on local routes.
What the overnight control revealed
By far the largest share of violations involved speed. A total of 1,116 drivers were fined for exceeding the limit. Another 34 drivers and passengers were sanctioned for not wearing seatbelts. Improper overtaking was recorded for two drivers.
The control did not spare other road users either. Violations were logged for 18 riders of two-wheelers and 10 pedestrians. A total of more than 1,300 violations in a single night shows how widespread indiscipline remains.
Driving under the influence stays a serious problem. Police took 16 drivers off the road after finding them drunk behind the wheel. The highest reading belonged to a 54-year-old Nissan driver, measured at 2.71 per mille. A 57-year-old Volkswagen Golf driver blew 2.47 per mille and also committed reckless driving offenses.
The speed record went to a 57-year-old driver. He was clocked at 168 kilometers per hour in a zone where the limit is 80. Making matters worse, that person is currently subject to a protective measure banning him from driving. Driving without a licence, combined with extreme speed, ranks among the gravest threats to road safety.
Why do police step up controls in summer?
The summer months traditionally bring heavier traffic and higher risk. Warm weather, longer nights out and late drives all raise the odds that someone gets behind the wheel drunk or tired. That is why traffic police increase their presence in the field during this period, especially at night.
The figures from Kragujevac speak for themselves. When more than 1,300 violations are recorded in one night in one area, it is clear that enforcement remains necessary. Penalties for speeding and drunk driving are among the harshest on the books, yet they plainly fail to deter everyone.
Road safety experts have warned for years that speed and alcohol are the leading causes of the worst crashes. A driver doing 168 in a built-up area does not endanger only himself. He endangers every pedestrian, cyclist and fellow driver on that stretch. A driving ban, if it is ignored, remains nothing but a line on paper.
Police say the stepped-up checks will continue throughout the season. The open question is how many more heavy fines and confiscated licences it will take before numbers like these start to fall. Do you think the current penalties are strict enough, or is the real issue that too few drivers take them seriously?
