The LDPR faction in the Russian parliament has submitted a bill to the State Duma aimed at easing responsibility for a range of traffic-related administrative violations that do not create risks of emergencies or threaten the life and health of other road users. This was stated by Yaroslav Nilov, the deputy head of the faction, on the Telegram channel.
The proposed law would add a new penalty option to several provisions in Chapter 12 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation in the form of a warning. The accompanying explanatory note argues that in some cases the severity of the penalty does not correspond to the offense committed, and that a warning could be a proportionate and more appropriate response.
Among the violations the bill seeks to address with warnings are instances where drivers fail to meet typical traffic rule obligations, operate unregistered vehicles, drive cars with tinted windows, or transport passengers without seat belts. The draft also covers cases where the response to violations should reflect the risk and harm involved rather than impose a blanket punishment. In addition to these changes, the proposal envisions reducing the monetary penalty to 2,000 rubles for violations related to the stopping or parking of vehicles under Article 12.19. This adjustment is presented as a measured step toward more balanced enforcement and a refinement of the sanctions framework.
The initiative includes a broader confinement of penalties that could be avoided through the use of warnings, particularly in situations that do not elevate the potential for road danger or public harm. The authors emphasize that warnings are intended to preserve the administrative resources and time of both drivers and the traffic authorities for cases where penalties would not meaningfully improve safety or compliance.
This legislative move comes amid ongoing discussions about how to calibrate penalties so that enforcement actions reflect actual risk levels, while still maintaining deterrence for more serious infringements. The proposal aligns with a trend in various regions toward more nuanced enforcement tools that can acknowledge responsible driving behavior and provide a fair, proportionate response to minor or non-harmful violations.
Observers note that the bill would require careful implementation to avoid diluting the effectiveness of traffic laws. Policymakers would need to establish clear criteria for when a warning may be issued, along with formal documentation to ensure consistency and accountability across jurisdictions. The proposed changes are also expected to prompt debate about the balance between administrative efficiency and the imperative to uphold safety standards on the nation’s roads.
Previously, reports have highlighted that certain public transport operations face restrictions based on criminal records when the risk to passengers and the public arises. The current draft legislation could influence related enforcement practices by introducing warning-minded responses before moving to more punitive measures in borderline scenarios. If adopted, the reform could affect a broad spectrum of drivers and situations, ranging from daily commuting to commercial transportation tasks, while maintaining a framework that discourages violations that endanger road users.
As this proposal proceeds through committee review and discussion in the State Duma, stakeholders are expected to weigh the potential benefits of reduced penalties with the need to preserve a credible deterrent against reckless driving and unsafe behavior on the roads. The government’s objective appears to be aligning penalties with actual risk, promoting fairness in enforcement, and freeing up administrative resources for more serious offenses.