Estonia bans truck overtaking on Pärnu-Tallinn highway

Estonia has introduced its first truck overtaking ban on a 2+1 section of the Pärnu-Tallinn highway, ERR reported. The restriction took effect on Thursday and is intended to improve traffic flow and reduce crashes on a stretch with an unusually high accident rate.

Heavy vehicles account for 25% of traffic on the section, where overtaking lanes are shorter than on similar roads. Viktor Kisseljov, head of the northern roads department at the Transport Administration, said trucks sometimes overtake one another in long convoys, creating risks for other road users.

Traffic Insurance Fund statistics show that about 20 crashes occur on the stretch each year. They have involved vehicles changing lanes or hitting roadside barriers.

Similar restrictions in Germany and Sweden have been linked to fewer crashes, according to Lauri Potsepp, a board member of the Traffic Insurance Fund. He said crashes fell by 30% in Germany and 50% in Sweden.

Police said they do not plan additional enforcement on the road, expecting drivers to follow the rules. No similar restrictions are planned on other 2+1 roads in Estonia, where overtaking sections are nearly twice as long. The Transport Administration plans to rebuild the Ääsmäe-Kustja section as a 2+2 road, but the work is not expected until the next decade.