A bill has been introduced in the State Duma to tighten penalties for drivers who refuse to stop when signaled by police and for those who violate rules governing the transportation of goods. This development was reported by RIA Novosti, a primary source for many readers seeking updates on Russian legislative changes affecting road safety and commercial transport compliance.
The draft proposes raising the fine for drivers who ignore police orders to stop from 7,000 rubles to 10,000 rubles. In addition, for repeat offenses, the bill suggests suspending the offender’s driving license for six months. At present, the penalty for failing to stop when requested by law enforcement ranges from 500 to 800 rubles, a range that many drivers and industry stakeholders consider insufficient to deter noncompliance and to reinforce the authority of traffic police on the road.
The proposed amendments extend beyond the act of ignoring a police signal. They also target violations of established rules on the transport of goods. The fine for such infractions is slated to skyrocket from 500 rubles to as much as 100,000 rubles, reflecting a shift toward tougher enforcement in the logistics and freight sector. The bill would further introduce a mechanism whereby a driver who refuses a weight and size check for a vehicle would face a 10,000-ruble penalty and a six-month driving ban, while the vehicle owner could receive a fine of up to 100,000 rubles. These provisions aim to ensure that grossly oversized or improperly documented cargo does not pass unchecked through the transport system, thereby reducing risks to road safety and infrastructure wear.
During the discussion, it was noted that the State Duma had previously considered a separate measure that would impose fines of up to 10,000 rubles or license deprivation for what has been described as dangerous driving. However, the State Construction Committee, after consulting with legal experts, concluded that the concept of dangerous driving was too murky to apply consistently across cases, and recommended redefining or abandoning that specific term to avoid ambiguity and uneven enforcement in courts and police practice.
In a related development, the State Duma Committee on Transport advised against approving a bill that would establish a formal register for personal mobility equipment, including devices such as electric scooters, and would require state notes for their operation. Pavel Fedyaev, the First Deputy Chairman of the Transport Committee, indicated that while the issue is timely, it cannot be resolved by a single piece of legislation. He added that, in 2023, the government released a roadmap for regulating personal mobility devices, and under that plan, a number of regulations will be amended, including the Administrative Offenses Code and the Traffic Rules, to better address the growing use of such devices in urban areas.
Analysts point out that this regulatory trajectory aligns with broader efforts to streamline road safety and vehicle management across different modes of transport, including personal mobility options. The emphasis appears to be on clarity and enforceability: rules must be measurable, enforceable, and capable of withstanding judicial scrutiny, particularly when addressing issues such as weights, dimensions, and the safe movement of goods through busy corridors. The evolving framework also seeks to balance the interests of motorists, freight operators, and city planners who must keep pace with rapid changes in urban mobility and commerce.
Earlier reporting indicated that the Moscow City Duma is prepared to tighten penalties for electric scooters ahead of the seasonal surge in their use. This movement underscores a broader national trend toward preemptive regulation of emerging transport technologies and devices, aiming to prevent incidents on crowded streets while maintaining a fair regulatory environment for new mobility services. Observers emphasize that the timing of these measures matters, as cities grapple with infrastructure that must accommodate both traditional vehicles and innovative personal transport options, all while enforcing compliance and protecting public safety.