The Russian State Traffic Inspectorate has started collecting ideas and drafting potential amendments to the traffic regulations. According to a report by Kommersant, these steps are being taken with input from a department representative, signaling a formal move to rethink how road safety rules are written and enforced in the near future. The process seems designed to map out the most pressing changes, aligning legislative tweaks with practical needs observed by road authorities and safety experts across the country.
During recent deliberations, it was noted that Alexander Kholodov, a member of the Public Chamber, attended President Vladimir Putin’s November 3, 2023, meeting with Public Chamber representatives. The discussions emphasized that action should not be postponed until 2029, when the current framework is slated to end, and that targeted modifications should be prepared promptly rather than waiting for a full expiry to unfold. This emphasis reflects a sense of urgency among lawmakers and reform advocates who want to ensure the rules stay current and reflect evolving driving realities across Russia.
In contrast to this sense of immediacy, Dmitry Popov, a leading expert at the St. Petersburg Traffic Management Directorate, estimated that roughly 120 discrete changes would be necessary to update the existing regulations. He argued for the explicit introduction of new terms and concepts to close loopholes and improve clarity on matters such as turning movements and maneuver sequencing, suggesting a comprehensive package rather than piecemeal edits. His position underscores the scale of modernization some experts believe is required to reduce ambiguity on the roads.
Dmitry Mitroshin, who heads the Scientific Center for Road Safety at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, provided a cautionary note about how reforms are implemented. He stressed that traffic rules are imperfect and should be improved through evolutionary steps that maintain continuity with the existing framework. His guidance emphasizes gradual changes to avoid abrupt shifts that could confuse drivers and undermine compliance. He also highlighted that even minor changes, like altering the numbering of items, can disorient road users until they become familiar with the new ordering, illustrating the practical challenges of regulatory updates.
Following these discussions, President Putin directed the government and the Public Chamber to collaborate on drafting proposals aimed at improving traffic regulations. The instruction signals a high-level commitment to revisiting and refining how traffic rules are written, interpreted, and applied, with the goal of enhancing road safety and operational efficiency for drivers, pedestrians, and emergency responders alike. The official response indicates that the reform effort will involve comprehensive stakeholder input, evidence-based assessment, and a structured timetable designed to minimize disruption while delivering clearer, more enforceable rules. The broader aim is to create rules that better reflect modern driving patterns, vehicle technologies, and urban mobility needs as discussed in the leadership circle and echoed by safety authorities across the country.
Earlier reports also pointed to plans to streamline and simplify the text of Russia’s traffic regulations. The intention behind simplification appears to be twofold: making the rules easier to understand for ordinary drivers and reducing the potential for misinterpretation during enforcement and audits. By focusing on clearer language, updated terminology, and more intuitive structuring, the reform effort seeks to lower the cognitive load on road users and law enforcement officers alike, contributing to improved compliance and safer streets. The conversations around simplification are closely linked to the broader modernization drive, which encompasses better training for authorities and more accessible resources for the public to learn and apply the rules in everyday driving scenarios. [Kommersant] [Public Chamber]