Scrutiny of Draft Law No. 15348
Attorney Dmytro Buzanov has examined Draft Law No. 15348, which aims to toughen penalties for speeding violations. He pointed out that the accompanying documents lack any calculations or forecasts regarding a reduction in road traffic accidents (RTAs). According to Buzanov, the bill only strengthens the economic leverage over drivers by raising fines, without addressing the likelihood of violations being detected.
Under the proposed legislation, increased liability only applies after five offenses within a year. The speeding threshold triggering such liability is set at exceeding the limit by more than 60 or 80 km/h. Buzanov noted that the bill ignores the legal concept of recidivism, as higher penalties only kick in from the fifth offense onward.
Origins and Debate Surrounding the Bill
A key driver behind this bill was a fatal crash on Karavayevi Dachi on June 5, which claimed four lives. Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko promised a package of measures to improve road safety, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs collaborated with lawmakers on proposals.
Dmytro Buzanov also highlighted that the 'Results Forecast' section in the supporting documents is limited to a vague statement that the law 'will contribute to improving safety... and, as a result, reduce the number of road accidents.' He described this as a declaration of the bill's intent rather than a substantiated conclusion.
“The deterrent effect of a fine directly depends on the probability of detecting the violation, and this component remains unchanged by the bill.”
— Dmytro Buzanov
Draft Law No. 15348 has been registered in the Verkhovna Rada and has sparked discussion among experts and officials. Buzanov believes that this approach to tackling road safety raises questions about the overall logic of administrative liability. He emphasized that a significant share of fatal accidents stems from other traffic rule violations, yet the bill focuses exclusively on speeding.
Consequently, Draft Law No. 15348 may have limited impact on reducing RTAs unless issues of violation detection and other road safety aspects are addressed.
The bill underscores the importance of debates on road safety in Ukraine, particularly regarding higher fines for speeding. However, the absence of substantiated forecasts for accident reduction suggests a need for a more comprehensive approach that accounts for the various factors influencing road safety. This could include not only fines but also infrastructure improvements, educational campaigns, and stricter accountability for other traffic violations.
As the debate surrounding Draft Law No. 15348 intensifies, it's important to consider the broader implications of traffic regulations in Ukraine. Recently, over 2 million speeding tickets were issued, highlighting the pressing need for effective measures to enhance road safety. For a closer look at the current state of traffic enforcement and how this new legislation fits into the larger picture, explore the details in our article on recent speeding fines and legislative developments.