Kalmyk authorities are concerned of road accidents with buses controlled by Dagestani drivers

On December 20, Oleg Kichikov, the Chairman of the Government of Kalmykia, sent a letter to the Parliament of Dagestan, asking Deputies to deal with the issue of high accident rate with transit buses, driven by drivers from Dagestan, which happen in the territory of Kalmykia.

Let us remind you that the latest road accident with a transit bus from Dagestan and two cargo Gazel vans occurred on December 20 in Chernozemelskiy District of Kalmykia. The accident took away lives of six persons; four others were injured. Since the beginning of the year, it is already the seventh accident in the territory of Kalmykia, involving a passenger bus.

According to the Government of Kalmykia, during the first nine months of this year, 278 road accidents occurred on the territory of this republic, where 52 persons were lost and 348 other persons were injured. Moreover, as noted by the authorities of the republic, every fifth accident was caused by transit drivers (46 accidents), and half of them - with drivers-residents of Dagestan (26 accidents).

"Out of 26 road accidents involving drivers-residents of the Republic of Dagestan, in 21 cases the drivers broke the traffic rules, and they are to blame for road accidents," runs Mr Kichikov's letter as quoted by the RIA "Novosti". The main reasons of accidents are violations of speed limits by bus drivers, of rules of overtaking and parking of transport vehicles on the roadway, as well as the rules of transporting passengers.

Besides, according to the Government of Kalmykia, some of the accidents occurred at night, when drivers, in violation of the regime of work and rest, drove their buses in tired condition. Some of them had no passports of bus routes and contracts with bus stations along the route.

Mr Kichikov asks to start, in cooperation with the media and the public at motor vehicle enterprises, among entrepreneurs and educational institutions engaged in training drivers in Dagestan, the necessary prophylactic work and bring proposals to the Government of Kalmykia on drafting joint solutions.

In their turn, the Government of Kalmykia is ready to hold a joint meeting of the Governmental Commissions of Kalmykia and Dagestan on prevention of offences and ensuring road safety.