Bulgarian Roads Get Sugar Coating to Ward off Crashes

A Bulgarian mayor this week ordered the sprinkling of sugar on roads to ward off "evil omens" and fight a recent increase in crashes.

"Due to the rising number of deadly road accidents in the municipality, mayor Nikolay Grozev ordered the major roads to be sprinkled with 50 kilograms (110 pounds) of sugar," said a statement from his office in Nova Zagora, in southeastern Bulgaria.

"The initiative is based on an ancient legend according to which dusting roads with sugar will chase away evil omens," it added.

Public broadcaster Bulgarian National Television showed Grozev, armed with a packet of sugar, powdering a road.

Four people, including two children, died and another six were injured in road accidents in the area in recent weeks.