The new sanction framework of the Road Traffic Code is put to public consultation, “based on road safety and the protection of human life, but also according to the needs of modern mobility and the gradual digitization of processesannounced the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.

Regarding the philosophy of the regulations, it is noted that a comprehensive penalty policy should focus on road safety without being punitive in nature. The aim is the compliance of drivers, the imposition of fair penalties that correspond to the seriousness / dangerousness of each violation, but also to ensure the collection of fines. Penalties are mainly for the driver (fine, suspension of driver’s license, SSO penalty points) and not for the vehicle (suspension of registration), as it can be used by more than one driver.

The penalties they must be proportional to the violations and are classified in terms of their dangerousness into:

  • those that may cause a serious accident (eg running a red light, speeding or illegal overtaking, driving under the influence of alcohol).
  • less dangerous offenses (eg illegal parking and administrative offences, such as driving without the driver carrying legal documents).

In addition, it is provided escalation of penalties for drivers who frequently fall into offences.

In the same spirit, the method of payment of fines is defined so as to facilitate the process of their repayment without complex bureaucratic procedures.

Special care is given to imposition of penalties and collection of fines for professional driver offences of other countries, with on-site completion of the procedure at the point of control and registration of the violation.

At the same time, it is expected that the reduction of the maximum permitted speed limit of vehicles in residential areas from 50 km/h to 30 km/h (unless otherwise specified by special signs) will bring about a significant reduction in traffic accidents in urban areas, where it is observed increased traffic of vulnerable road users (pedestrians, bicycles, motorcyclists, motorcycles) and most accidents are recorded.

It is clarified that on single roads where there are at least two (2) lanes of traffic separated by longitudinal markings and on two-way roads, within residential areas, the maximum permitted speed limit of fifty (50) kilometers per hour is maintained, unless otherwise specified by special marking.

Finally, special care is taken for vulnerable road users (pedestrians, transporting children, etc.), who have increased safety needs that must be covered by special arrangements. These regulations concern both their behavior and the behavior of other road users towards them. Thus, a series of violations of the KOK are characterized as anti-social and lead to additional administrative measures.

In summary, the main points in the Draft Law “New Mandatory Framework of the Road Traffic Code and Other Provisions for Safe Mobility” are summarized as follows:

  • The rationalization of penalties and the categorization of offenses according to the risk, as well as the imposition of sanctions that meet modern requirements and strengthen their deterrent character.
  • Categorizing violations into three basic categories makes the sanctioning framework more realistic and easier to apply by control bodies and easier to understand by citizens.
  • Dissuasive sanctions (fines and administrative measures) are imposed for the most serious violations that significantly increase the likelihood of causing traffic accidents in order to drastically reduce them.
  • The establishment of recurrent criminal and anti-social driving behavior and the tightening-escalation of the penal framework to prevent them aims to improve safe driving behavior.
  • Exoneration of the vehicle (vehicle details are not removed) for offenses related to dangerous driving behavior for which only the offending driver is now punished (fine, revocation of driver’s license, SESO penalty points).
  • The reduction of the maximum speed of movement within the urban fabric and on neighborhood streets to 30 km/h, under the special conditions provided on a case-by-case basis.
  • Creating conditions for sustainable urban mobility through speed reduction is enhanced by giving vital space to micromobility vehicles and motorized two-wheelers in traffic and parking (rules for conditional infiltration, waiting area at intersections, provision of parking spaces).
  • Combined with the above, the sanctioning framework for micro-mobility vehicles and motorized two-wheelers is tightened, as the use of helmets and compliance with speed limits are non-negotiable and severely punished.
  • Reform of the institutional framework to expand the possibility of using technical or electronic means to detect violations of the Road Traffic Code (cameras on buses).

The public consultation period was set at three weeks.