Serbia's roads: Poor signage and outdated safety measures endanger drivers

As holidaymakers return and traffic intensifies on Serbian roads, the persistent issue of inadequate road conditions and safety measures is brought into sharp focus. While accident statistics often point to the "human factor," drivers frequently find themselves misled by outdated practices and a lack of modern safety protocols.

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We have quite good regulations. What is currently a problem for us is that they are not respected as they should be. That is, when we start work somewhere, we do not secure it properly from the beginning, nor do we care about how traffic will flow in the remaining lanes, in the opposite direction, and so on.

In Belgrade, specific areas like Bulevar vojvode Mišića exemplify these problems. A "blind alley" sign exists, but its placement is unhelpful, leaving drivers surprised by dead ends. Citizens report encountering unexpected obstacles and poorly maintained road surfaces, contrasting sharply with conditions in cities like Vienna. The use of piled earth as a barrier at roadworks is a common sight, a practice considered outdated and insufficient for modern traffic safety.

Vladimir Momčilović, a professor at the Faculty of Transport Engineering in Belgrade, emphasizes that while Serbia has good regulations, their implementation is severely lacking. "We do not properly secure roadworks from the beginning, nor do we adequately consider how traffic will flow in adjacent lanes," he stated. He added that even lower-priority roads and their users should not be neglected or misled by poor safety provisions.

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We must ensure all approaches and all traffic lanes that come here. And then, even if it is a lower priority road, it cannot be neglected, its users cannot be neglected and they should not be misled either.

Dejan Jovanović of the City Board Srce, Belgrade, noted that the "surface above us, which is not adequately secured, creates problems for all our fellow citizens, especially during the night or evening hours when this road is not well lit." Drivers often resort to moving plastic barriers themselves, as modern concrete barriers are frequently absent due to budget or time constraints associated with rapid construction.

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This surface above us, which is not adequately secured, creates problems for all our fellow citizens who move along this route, especially in those night or evening hours, when this road is not that well lit.

"Putevi Srbije" (Roads of Serbia) acknowledges room for improvement, citing the need for "greater application of modern materials and equipment, improvement of signalization visibility and noticeability, and higher quality traffic management in work zones." Despite budgetary allocations for road maintenance, the expected level of safety at construction sites is often not met, leading to dangerous situations for drivers.

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There is room for further modernization, especially through greater application of modern materials and equipment, improvement of signalization visibility and noticeability, and higher quality traffic management in work zones.