Accident expert: Safe distance at 90 miles per hour was too short

A traffic accident involving Slovenia's president Nataša Pirc Musar occurred on July 31 on the coastal motorway near the Kastelec tunnel. According to footage released by Slovenian public broadcaster Televizija Slovenija and POP TV, the incident involved a convoy of three vehicles carrying the president and two female companions. The footage shows the presidential convoy passing through the tunnel with blue lights on the left lane, moving past a column of other vehicles. Two civilian cars were ahead on the left lane, first one was initially overtaken, the second managed to move to the right lane, while the first remained in the middle of the road. The official vehicle leading the convoy successfully maneuvered around the stationary car but nearly stopped, before being struck by a delivery truck containing the president and her friends. The truck then veered off into the left side of the tunnel. Dr. Peter Vidmar, dean of the Faculty of Maritime Affairs and Transport, analyzed the footage during his appearance on the 24ur zvečer program. He estimated that the lead vehicle in the convoy was traveling at approximately 150 kilometers per hour, with the delivery truck maintaining a safety distance of between 30 and 35 meters. At such speeds, he noted, this distance is insufficient. He explained that a trained driver might have a reaction time of 0.5 seconds, whereas an average person’s reaction time ranges from 0.8 to one second. This difference becomes critical at high speeds, as vehicles cannot physically stop or reduce speed quickly enough to avoid collisions. Vidmar further stated that the gap between the vehicle in the convoy and the one ahead could have been between 80 and 100 kilometers per hour, highlighting the lack of adequate spacing. The footage also reveals that the security lighting in the tunnel activated just before the collision, prompting the vehicles to brake. Vidmar suggested that the system in the tunnel might automatically trigger warnings for drivers approaching at excessive speeds. However, he emphasized that the situation was complex, noting that all accidents are tragic and leave lasting psychological impacts on those involved. He acknowledged that the specific circumstances, marked differences in speed between vehicles, made the crash unavoidable despite efforts to maintain safe distances. An online poll conducted after the incident asked respondents to identify who was responsible for the accident. Over 65% of voters blamed the drivers of the escort vehicles, citing their higher speed and reduced safety margins. A smaller percentage attributed fault to the driver of the delivery truck or to poor organization of the protocol-driven driving. One respondent suggested that if all parties had been involved, the injuries would have been less severe. Meanwhile, another incident unfolded in Split, Croatia, on August 28, when a cyclist attacked a car carrying three children. The woman, who was driving her car, was approached by a man on an electric bicycle who suddenly stopped directly in front of her vehicle. The cyclist, visibly agitated, climbed off his bike and violently struck the windshield with his hand, shattering the glass. He then fled the scene immediately. The children, including an infant, were deeply shaken by the attack, which has left the family in shock. The husband of the driver contacted authorities and expressed hope that the perpetrator would face legal consequences. Police confirmed they received the report promptly and swiftly identified the suspect, a 35-year-old man, based on detailed descriptions. They detained him and initiated a criminal investigation into potential charges of damaging property. The incident underscores the dangers posed by reckless behavior in traffic and highlights the need for vigilance and responsibility among individuals.