The community of Serres in Greece continues to be shaken by the tragic road accident on the Amfipolis-Drama provincial road, where a 43-year-old mother and her 21-year-old Albanian son lost their lives. While investigations continue to determine the causes of the fatal collision with a truck, road safety expert Panagiotis Stamiris has provided an analysis of the footage of the accident, raising suspicions that in addition to speed, driver distraction may have also played a role.
Speaking to ERT television, Stamiris said that the car driven by the 24-year-old may have been traveling at a speed higher than the speed limit for that stretch of road. However, according to him, speed alone does not seem to be the only reason for the loss of control. "The vehicle deviates well before the point of impact and the way it leaves the lane shows that it is not just a case of a deviation caused by speed. There may have been a distraction, perhaps phone use or something else," the expert said.
According to his analysis, the driver of the vehicle did not react in time after the car crossed into the opposite lane. "From the moment the vehicle starts to leave its lane, the driver had the opportunity to correct the direction. But he continues for a few meters in the oncoming traffic lane and only then tries to turn around," said Stamiris.
The expert estimated that the vehicle may have been traveling at a speed of over 70–80 km/h, based on the footage and the testimony of another driver on the road. “The speed was increased and I believe it was above the permitted limit. When a vehicle exceeds the critical speed on a curve, it can lose control and swerve,” he explained.
However, Stamiris stressed that the leader's delayed reaction remains one of the most important elements to be investigated.
"The scenario could be that he realized what was happening too late, or due to his lack of experience he failed to properly assess the situation," the expert concluded. The serious accident took the lives of the 43-year-old woman and her 21-year-old son, causing great shock in the Serres area.
