Romania sees rise in severe accidents involving inexperienced drivers

Road safety officials in Romania report a growing number of serious accidents involving novice drivers. In the first six months of the year, about 500 drivers with little experience were involved in crashes, and more than 54,000 young people aged 16‑18 obtained licences between January and June, an increase of roughly 7,000 compared with the previous year.

One recent fatal incident occurred in Botoșani County when a 21‑year‑old driver collided with a 16‑year‑old motorcyclist during a lane‑change maneuver, leaving the teenager with severe injuries that required complex surgery. Experts attribute such accidents to inexperience, excessive speed and lack of attention. Romania continues to have the highest road‑traffic mortality rate in the European Union, with nearly 4,000 serious accidents, over 1,000 deaths and about 3,000 serious injuries recorded last year. EU specialists met in Bucharest to discuss stronger driver‑education programmes and safety measures to curb the trend.