The Ministry of Internal Affairs did not back the proposal to suspend fines in regions where mobile cameras, which have not been indicated by road signs, have operated since May 2023, according to reports from Kommersant. The discussion centers on whether drivers should face penalties when the signaling for mobile enforcement is unclear or absent on the road, a topic that has drawn attention across several Russian regions and sparked debates about fairness and enforcement consistency.
Legislation under consideration would ban fines if a driver was not warned about the use of a mobile system that records traffic violations, with the new rules set to take effect in 2024. In August, Vyacheslav Davankov, deputy chairman of the New People faction in the State Duma, appealed to Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin calling for an amnesty for drivers. Davankov pointed to a precedent in the capital where fines for a special regime during the COVID-19 pandemic were canceled between 2020 and 2022, suggesting a similar approach could be appropriate now for drivers nationwide.
Alexander Gorovoy, First Deputy Head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, did not share Davankov’s position, arguing that it would be impossible to verify the presence or absence of a sign at every moment a violation could occur. He noted that if automatic penalties were to be withdrawn, it would require real-time or near-real-time confirmation of signage across the whole road network, a complex logistical challenge. Despite differing opinions, the plan hinges on establishing clear criteria for when penalties should be nullified and how to handle cases where signage may be inconsistent or obscured.
According to traffic authorities, by the end of 2022 the country boasted approximately 23.8 thousand fixed cameras and 3.2 thousand mobile cameras deployed nationwide for traffic monitoring. More than two-thirds of these systems are designed to capture speeding violations, reflecting a broader emphasis on speed enforcement as a key element of road safety strategies. The distribution of cameras underscores a continuing effort to balance public safety objectives with the practical realities of traffic enforcement, including regional variations in road signage and camera placement.
As discussions unfold, drivers, law enforcement agencies, and policymakers are weighing the impact of enforcement gaps and the potential for inconsistent penalties. The dialogue also touches on how future regulatory frameworks might address the deployment of mobile enforcement without clear signaling, while ensuring accountability and transparency in how violations are detected and fines are issued. Stakeholders acknowledge that any reforms will need to be accompanied by robust communication with the public, precise signage standards, and reliable records to minimize disputes and maintain trust in the traffic enforcement system.
In parallel, observers note that the evolution of enforcement technologies continues to outpace some of the existing legal provisions. The outcome of these debates is expected to influence not only drivers’ experiences on the road but also the broader approach to modernization in traffic management across the country. The ultimate goal remains to promote road safety while ensuring that penalties are fair, traceable, and applied consistently, regardless of whether a camera is fixed or mobile and regardless of regional administrative differences. Citations are from Kommersant and related government communications regarding ongoing policy discussions and regulatory proposals. [citation: Kommersant]
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