Farmers warned about road surface pollution - the consequences could be severe

Each year, the manager of the national roads „Via Lietuva“ and the company „Kelių priežiūra“, which is responsible for the quality maintenance of these roads, receive about 100 reports of road surface pollution. The most difficult situation in autumn and spring is in areas where the national roads cross cultivated fields or are close to gravel pits.
 
Dirt, soil or gravel on the road surface reduces tyre grip, increases braking distances and increases the risk of accidents, especially on bends. In addition, contaminated road surfaces reduce the visibility of horizontal markings, which can eventually lead to damage to the road surface itself.

„Dirt deposited on the road surface by agricultural or heavy machinery reduces vehicle handling and braking performance, with potentially severe consequences. We urge all farmers, HGV drivers, quarry operators and contractors to behave responsibly and to keep their wheels clean, thus contributing to safer journeys throughout Lithuania," said Modestas Lukošiūnas, Head of Infrastructure Maintenance at „Via Lietuva“.

When leaving their fields and cultivated areas, farmers often do not even think about the fact that by polluting the road surface, they are putting other road users at direct risk. At the same time, in gravel pits, pollution is often caused by uncleaned wheels or improperly covered loads of bulk materials.

Contaminated pavements become slippery, increase dustiness in the warm season and contribute to accidents. In addition, contaminated gravel roads increase the cost of cleaning the road surface, as they often require additional graveling and profiling once the layer of soil and dirt has been pushed down.

The situation is particularly difficult in areas of Lithuania where roads border intensively cultivated fields or quarries. One of the most notable examples is the A16 in the Trakai district at km 20.84, where the surface is constantly contaminated by vehicles leaving a local road leading to a gravel quarry.

According to the Rules of the Road, road users are obliged to take all necessary precautions, not to endanger the safety of other road users, other persons or their property or the environment, or to obstruct the traffic of other road users, etc.

There are administrative penalties for polluting the road surface. According to Article 459(9) of the Code of Administrative Offences, contamination of the road surface may result in a fine of between €300 and €560. This Article also applies in other cases where traffic is endangered or road structures and installations are damaged.