In recent years, there has been an increase in the activity of citizens on issues of compliance with traffic rules (traffic laws) in Russia. According to the Scientific Center for Road Safety (SCRS) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the number of complaints about traffic violations has increased by almost 30% over the past year. This indicates that Russians are becoming more vigilant and willing to report offenses.
According to the SCRS report, 1.3 million violations were registered in 2024, detected thanks to citizens' appeals. This is 24.5% more than in 2023. Among the violations reported by citizens, a significant number concerned driving under the influence of alcohol, as well as violations of the rules by pedestrians. It is important to note that 316 thousand complaints were filed with photo and video materials, which is 28.5% more than in the previous year.
To encourage Russians to actively participate in the detection of violations, some regions of Russia are introducing a system of monetary incentives. The amount of remuneration varies from 3 thousand to 7 thousand rubles, depending on the severity of the violation. For example, if a driver is caught driving under the influence of alcohol, the citizen who reported the violation may receive up to 7 thousand rubles. Currently, such systems operate in 11 regions of the country.
However, experts note that the current legislation does not allow to fully use the potential of civil complaints. At the moment, in order to punish the offender on the basis of photo or video, it is necessary to conduct an investigation, which takes time and may lead to a decrease in the effectiveness of the system. The head of the ONF working group "Protection of the Rights of Motorists" Petr Shkumatov emphasizes that it is necessary to simplify the process of considering complaints in order to increase the level of responsibility of drivers.
In 2024, the total number of fines for traffic violations increased by 6.3%, exceeding 255 million. At the same time, 93% of the resolutions were issued using road cameras. Despite the increase in the number of complaints, experts point to the need to improve the quality of information provided on offenses. Only a fifth of complaints with attached materials lead to bringing offenders to justice.
There are plans to develop a bill that will simplify the process of considering complaints and allow issuing resolutions based on photos and videos received from citizens. Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously instructed the government to develop such a bill, but its implementation has been delayed.
Thus, the activity of citizens in matters of compliance with traffic rules and the introduction of incentive systems can significantly increase the level of safety on the roads. However, to achieve maximum efficiency, it is necessary to make changes to the legislation to simplify the process of considering complaints and increase the responsibility of drivers.
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