Concerns about road safety on recently repaired routes were voiced at a meeting of the State Duma Transport Committee, where Valery Bogomolov, a representative of the Accounts Chamber, shared observations reported by the daily Kommersant. He noted a troubling trend: on stretches that have undergone repairs and revisions, the fatality rate appears to rise rather than fall. The explanation offered is rooted in driver behavior changes after improvements—cars often travel faster on smoother surfaces, and crucial safety enhancements like additional lighting, clearer traffic signs, and immediate warnings may not be implemented quickly enough.
Bogomolov emphasized that his comments reflect preliminary impressions rather than a fully documented dataset. He expressed hope that the joint venture involved in road works will consider these observations as it plans future projects and safety measures. The speaker made clear that the statements were intended to provoke discussion and prompt more robust safety planning rather than to serve as conclusive evidence.
In contrast to the inspector’s concerns, official traffic statistics do not corroborate a nationwide rise in road fatalities linked to repairs. For 2022, data show decreases in deaths on federal highways by 8.3 percent and on regional and inter-municipal roads by 1.4 percent. Transport authorities also highlighted substantial investment in infrastructure that same year, noting that about 26.8 thousand kilometers of federal and regional roads underwent repair work, up 6 percent from 2021, while an additional 1.6 thousand kilometers were constructed, up 15 percent.
Addressing the issue in a broader sense, Mikhail Chernikov, the head of the traffic police, underscored persistent concerns about mortality following road repairs dating back to the previous autumn. He pointed out that smoother surfaces can contribute to higher severities in crashes, urging a formal list of mandatory works to accompany any cladding replacement. The aim is to ensure that safety features keep pace with the improved road surfaces and do not lag behind the overall road modernization process.
In related developments, officials noted that the State Duma has signaled skepticism toward proposals to chip license plates as a security measure. The discussion reflects a broader push to balance road improvement efforts with practical and enforceable safety standards, aiming to reduce risk on freshly repaired routes while continuing to expand and modernize the transportation network.