Ukrainian Parliament Launches Photo Exhibition Highlighting Child Road Safety and Proposes Tougher Traffic Penalties

Photo Exhibition Focuses on Protecting Children's Right to Safe Roads

According to Рубрика — Суспільство: On November 10, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine inaugurated a photo exhibition titled "Protecting the Child's Right to a Safe Road." This event coincides with the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims and the All-Ukrainian Road Safety Week. The exhibition aims to shed light on the critical issue of child fatalities on Ukrainian roads and calls for stricter enforcement and harsher penalties for traffic violations. The initiative is led by Member of Parliament Volodymyr Kreidenko in partnership with the civic organization "Center for Civil Advocacy 'Life.'"

According to the organizers' data, between 2022 and 2025, 678 children lost their lives in road accidents across Ukraine. Dangerous driving behaviors, especially speeding, are a leading cause of these tragic outcomes. A poignant example occurred on June 5, when 12-year-old Grisha Glushich was killed after a vehicle traveling at 150 km/h crashed into the underground pedestrian crossing he was using. This heartbreaking incident underscores the urgent need for legislative reforms to improve road safety.

Legislative Reforms Proposed

During the exhibition, Ruslan Stefanchuk, along with over 50 MPs, submitted amendments to bill No. 15358 aimed at intensifying penalties for traffic violations. Key provisions include:

• Introducing five tiers of fines for speeding, ranging from 1,020 UAH for exceeding speed limits by over 10 km/h up to 6,800 UAH for surpassing by more than 80 km/h.
• Imposing a 17,000 UAH fine for a fourth repeated speeding offense exceeding 40 km/h.
• Revoking driving privileges for 6 to 12 months upon a fifth speeding violation.

The proposed amendments also strengthen consequences for repeated dangerous offenses, such as running red lights or failing to yield to pedestrians, with potential license suspensions of 6 to 12 months. Furthermore, the bill introduces criminal liability for traffic violations resulting in fatalities or severe injuries and for driving after license revocation in cases of repeat offenses.

In 2025, Ukraine recorded 3,249 fatalities and 31,898 injuries from road accidents. A 2026 survey revealed strong public support for tougher penalties against hazardous driving behaviors. The exhibition remains open until November 15 in the corridors on the second floor of the Verkhovna Rada.

Alexey Glushich, father of the late Grisha, shared: "On June 5, our 12-year-old son Grisha died. He made no mistakes-he was returning home from school, using the underground passage. A car traveling at 150 km/h crashed into the passage, killing four people. Dangerous traffic violations have long been treated as routine. When someone repeatedly breaks the rules so severely, fines are clearly insufficient. They must lose their driving privileges. And if they drive despite a ban, they should face imprisonment. These legislative changes are straightforward, require no state budget funds, but can prevent future deadly accidents."

Oksana Levytska, head of the NGO "Mothers of Children Injured in Road Accidents," emphasized: "The goal of these reforms is to halt reckless road behavior before it leads to tragedy. This includes speeding, running red lights, dangerous overtaking, and failing to yield to pedestrians."

The "Protecting the Child's Right to a Safe Road" exhibition represents a vital effort to raise public awareness about road safety challenges in Ukraine, particularly concerning children. The proposed legal changes have the potential to significantly reduce traffic accidents and enhance overall road safety. Voices from affected families and civil society stress the urgent need for reforms to prevent similar tragedies in the future.