On the road leading into Otepää from Rõngu, a series of new chicanes have been installed, forcing drivers to slow down or even stop in order to pass oncoming vehicles.

"Local citizens have complained that there is a lot of speeding, and that trucks are also speeding on this road. There are a lot of rucks traveling on this road because of the nearby industries," said Janar Taal, head of the Estonian Transport Administration's southern department.

"In situations like this, you have to react and think. We have tried simpler solutions here, but we have now come to the conclusion that these barriers should be effective," he said.

"In other parts of the world they install speed bumps, but we deliberately did not put speed bumps here because there is a considerable amount of heavy traffic. Speed bumps create noise, but directional barriers do not," Taal explained.

However, many drivers do not consider the experiment, which was intended to calm traffic in the area, a success.

"In my opinion, it would have been much more sensible to put a speed sign showing what your current speed is. That would have been much more reassuring," said one driver who ERR spoke to.

"There are big cars and trucks coming from there and it's quite sudden, this bend. The times when I've driven on it, there's been a car coming up and it's a traffic hazard," said another driver.

If the Transport Authority believes that the chicanes installed in Otepää to be successful in increasing road safety, drivers will have to get used to similar approaches taken in other towns and cities across Estonia in the future.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!