The head of Moscow’s traffic police, Alexander Bykov, discussed a new pilot program aimed at changing how minor highway accidents are handled. The goal is to prevent situations where only material damage occurs from becoming a risk to people and to keep traffic moving smoothly on major routes.
During the pilot, drivers involved in a minor collision on high-speed roads, including the Moscow ring road, would be allowed to leave the scene and resume their journey without waiting to repair the vehicle or file a traditional accident report at the site. The plan would still require careful documentation, but the evidence would come from video materials captured by surveillance cameras deployed along the Moscow ring road. Bykov explained that these cameras would serve as a key tool in investigating the incident and clarifying the circumstances after the fact, rather than delaying traffic on the spot.
The program will roll out first on the Moscow ring road, a corridor already saturated with cameras and continuous monitoring. If successful, the approach will extend to outbound highways around the capital. The intention is to reduce slowdowns caused by minor crashes and to minimize the risk of drivers attempting to handle the aftermath in the middle of fast lanes. This shift is designed to keep traffic moving and lower the danger to those involved in such incidents.
Among the primary objectives cited by Bykov are a reduction in the time required for vehicles to clear the roadway after an accident by about 40 percent and a 30 percent decrease in the frequency of minor crashes on the ring road. If achieved, these improvements could contribute to a significant drop in fatalities along this busy route and lower overall delays by about 15 percent.
For the pilot to function within the legal framework, officials note that amendments are needed. The current rules would have to recognize agreement among accident participants as not being a site departure, and insurance providers would need to accept photographic and video evidence from traffic cameras when settling claims. The changes would also require clear guidelines on when and how camera footage can be used to determine fault while protecting privacy and ensuring accuracy in assessment. Lessons from similar systems in other major cities suggest that leveraging objective video evidence can accelerate decisions and reduce unnecessary risk for motorists, responders, and investigators alike. The project emphasizes safety and efficiency, not bypassing responsibility or accountability. (Rossiyskaya Gazeta)