Nearly 370 people died in traffic accidents since the beginning of the year, a figure marking a 40 per cent increase as compared to figures for the same period of 2006.

Since the beginning of the year, 2044 traffic accidents occured, road police representative Marin Rakovski said.

Nearly 55 per cent of all deaths on the road resulted from speeding, Rakovski said as quoted by Bulgarian news agency BTA.
Drivers aged under 25 caused the majority of accidents.

The number of fines imposed for road violations increased but collection remains unchanged. The value of fines imposed was 47 million leva for 2006 of which only six per cent were collected.

According to EU requirements the number of traffic accidents has to decrease by 50 per cent, driving instructors union head Ionko Ivanov said.