President Speaks Out on Road Safety
In his evening address on August 17, President Volodymyr Zelensky said the National Security and Defense Council intends to review the situation on Ukrainian roads. He ordered officials to draft changes that would increase accountability for drivers who habitually violate traffic rules. The decision follows a recent accident in the capital, where a vehicle speeding through a street hit another car and then hurtled onto the pavement. Road safety has become a major focus of public pressure on Ukrainian authorities.
Zelensky said the person behind the wheel in that crash was someone who, to be honest, should have lost the right to drive long ago. He also mentioned petitions and appeals concerning road conditions, including one from Oleksii Hlushych, the father of a 12-year-old boy killed in a traffic accident. The president insisted that meaningful, not cosmetic, action is required to make roads safer.
We need to strengthen responsibility for those who repeatedly break road rules and show contempt for life. And we need not cosmetic tweaks to traffic rules or penalties; we need effective measures.
Volodymyr Zelensky
Zelensky added that he expects NSDC Secretary Ihor Klymenko to bring together lawmakers, civil society groups, and all needed state institutions for this drafting effort. He closed by saying that every life must be safeguarded and that Ukraine should create conditions in which life is truly protected.
Earlier, Hvylya informed readers of the penalties being prepared by the Ministry of Internal Affairs for repeat traffic offenders and of the penalty-point threshold at which drivers could lose their licenses.
Public Response to the President's Road Safety Push
The president's proposals highlight a growing public demand for safer roads across Ukraine, especially given the frequency of serious crashes. Stronger enforcement of traffic regulations can be a key step in reducing risks to human life. If citizens and experts take part in shaping the new rules, the resulting legislative changes could be far more effective.