Three lives were lost in Sunday traffic accidents

Car in a river in the Most District

In the Most District today a parent drove a passenger car off the road for reasons not yet established into the riverbed; the vehicle ended up in the icy water overturned onto its roof. The passenger — another adult — and a child suffered injuries and were taken to hospital by rescuers, but the driver, despite the efforts of attending medics, succumbed to his injuries.

"Firefighters, police and the ambulance service intervened at the scene, traffic in the section was restricted for the duration of rescue and extraction operations,"

the police spokeswoman said, adding that the exact circumstances of the accident are the subject of further investigation. Firefighters secured the vehicle against further movement, checked for any leakage of operating fluids into the water and assisted with transporting the injured into ambulances.

Fatal accident near Bystřice in the Benešov District

On road I/3 near Bystřice in the Benešov District today a truck for reasons not yet clear crossed into the opposite lane, where it collided head-on with an oncoming passenger car. In the car the female driver was travelling with a passenger; both suffered serious injuries, but the passenger subsequently died from his injuries.

"The driver of the passenger vehicle and her passenger suffered serious injuries; emergency medical care was provided to them at the scene and they were transported to hospital,"

the spokeswoman for the rescue service said. The road was completely closed for several hours during the response by all elements of the integrated rescue system, and the police diverted traffic along detour routes.

Car under a train in the Šumperk District

Near Bohdíkov in the Šumperk District this morning a passenger car drove onto a level crossing directly in front of a passing train; the vehicle overturned onto its roof after the impact. Rescuers attempted to resuscitate the injured driver at the scene, but the man succumbed to his injuries despite all efforts of medical staff; he had been travelling alone in the vehicle.

"The driver of the car apparently did not respect the warning signal of the safety system and entered the crossing, where he collided with a passing train,"

said regional police spokeswoman Marie Šafářová. According to the firefighters, they helped evacuate about 65 passengers from the train; service on the line between Bohdíkov and Ruda nad Moravou was suspended and replacement bus transport was implemented.

Police appeal to drivers

The police are carrying out necessary procedures in all cases, securing evidence and determining whether excessive speed, inattention to driving, or the possible consumption of alcohol or other addictive substances played a role. "We urge all drivers, especially during the winter period, to obey traffic signs, the warning lights at crossings and to fully concentrate on driving," the police spokeswoman emphasized.

Rescuers also remind that even a small underestimation of the situation can lead to irreversible consequences and a matter-of-seconds transformation of an ordinary journey into a tragedy for entire families. According to them, it is crucial to adjust speed to the condition of the road and the traffic situation, and to account for reduced visibility and longer braking distances.