Rejected Legislative Proposals in Ukraine's Parliament
On September 16, Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada declined to pass two bills aimed at increasing fines for speeding and other traffic offenses. The primary bill, No. 15348, fell short by a single vote, receiving 225 votes in favor, while the alternative bill, No. 15348-1, garnered 198 votes.
The main bill proposed the following fines for speeding violations:
- 680 UAH for exceeding the speed limit by over 20 km/h;
- 2,040 UAH for exceeding by more than 40 km/h;
- 2,720 UAH for exceeding by over 60 km/h;
- 3,400 UAH for exceeding by more than 80 km/h.
In addition, drivers caught exceeding the speed limit by over 60 km/h with at least five prior offenses of the same nature within a year faced a fine of 17,000 UAH. Currently, fines stand at 340 UAH for exceeding by more than 20 km/h and 1,700 UAH for speeding above 50 km/h, with the option to reduce the fine to 170 UAH if paid within 10 days for the 20 km/h threshold.
Alternative Measures and Road Safety Data
The alternative bill No. 15348-1 aimed to eliminate the 20 km/h 'grace limit' and introduce penalties for exceeding speed limits by as little as 10 km/h. It also proposed suspending driver’s licenses for 3 to 8 years in cases involving fatal or serious injury collisions. Road safety statistics reveal that approximately nine people die daily in traffic accidents across Ukraine. Between 2022 and 2025, over 12,200 fatalities occurred on Ukrainian roads, with nearly half linked to speeding violations. In 2025 alone, nearly 36,000 drivers committed more than ten traffic offenses, including close to 3,000 drivers who violated rules over 50 times.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has announced the return of 'Phantom' vehicles specialized in detecting speeding violations. Within just one week of operation in Kyiv and its surrounding region, these vehicles recorded 7,012 speed-related offenses.
"It is disappointing that road safety remains a low priority. Yet, our efforts continue."
— Ihor Klymenko, Minister of Internal Affairs
The parliament’s refusal to endorse these bills highlights the ongoing challenges Ukraine faces in improving road safety amid high fatality rates caused by traffic violations. While reinstating the 'Phantom' cars signals ongoing enforcement efforts against reckless driving, substantial progress depends on finding a legislative consensus to implement stricter regulations and reduce accident rates effectively.