According to a report cited by Kommersant from the national traffic police for 2022, Russia recorded a historic rise in traffic fines, surpassing 200 million notices in a single year for the first time. The figure underscores a nationwide enforcement push that touched every region and every road type, highlighting how traffic safety measures and surveillance have become a central tool in managing road behavior.
In total, 201 million fines were issued across the Russian Federation last year, marking a 12 percent increase from 2021. The financial impact of these penalties rose as well, with the overall amount reaching 136.8 billion rubles, up 6.7 percent year over year. These numbers reflect a tightening stance on violations and a broader deployment of automated systems that monitor streets and highways, which many observers credit for the reliable tracking of noncompliant behavior.
A dominant portion of the fines, more than 90 percent, stemmed from video surveillance and automatic monitoring. Last year saw 183.5 million violations recorded by cameras, a 14 percent rise from 2021. The monetary sum tied to camera-based penalties reached 112.8 billion rubles, an 8 percent increase. In contrast, local traffic police inspectors issued 16 million decisions, which is about 7 percent lower than the previous year, signaling a shift toward automated enforcement while still maintaining a presence of human oversight in specific cases.
In terms of offender profiles, the population of drunk drivers and those who refused to undergo testing remained broadly comparable to 2021 levels. Drunk driving cases totaled 288.4 thousand, a slight decline of about 1 percent, while refusals to be tested stood at 166.4 thousand, down 2.7 percent. Drug poisoning among drivers was detected in 18.7 thousand cases the year before, compared with 18.3 thousand in the prior period, pointing to a persistent public safety challenge around substance impairment on the road.
Among the regions, Moscow clearly led in penalties, accumulating 39.3 million decisions for 30.3 billion rubles. This represents a notable year-over-year rise of 23 percent in the number of fines and 27.8 percent in monetary terms relative to 2021. The Moscow region logged 31.3 million fines amounting to 19 billion rubles, while St. Petersburg registered 9.6 million fines totaling 4.4 billion rubles. The Krasnodar Territory contributed 7.7 million penalties worth 4.9 billion rubles, and Tatarstan tallied 4.8 billion rubles from its penalties, indicating regional disparities and the varying impact of traffic rules across the federation. These regional dynamics illustrate how enforcement intensity and revenue generation from fines can differ widely from one area to another, shaping local traffic policy and budgeting decisions.
Earlier reports noted that Moscow, along with several neighboring regions, demonstrated high activity in enforcing road safety, while other territories often highlighted different metrics. YNAO and Kamchatka were cited for leading the share of cars with engine power exceeding 150 horsepower, suggesting that vehicle characteristics also influence the likelihood of penalties in specific districts. The ongoing emphasis on high-powered vehicles in certain locales reflects the broader effort to address riskier driving behaviors and the safety implications associated with more powerful cars on busy urban and rural roads.
In summary, 2022 marked a milestone year for traffic enforcement in Russia, driven largely by automated systems but complemented by human oversight in many jurisdictions. The data point to a complex landscape where regional enforcement intensity, vehicle demographics, and the prevalence of intoxication or impairment on the road interact to shape the overall picture of road safety and compliance across the country. Marked by growth in total fines, heightened camera usage, and regional variations, the year highlights ongoing efforts to curb violations while balancing resources between machine surveillance and police presence, as reported by Kommersant through the traffic police assessment.