Russia may launch an automated fine system for administrative offenses recorded by cameras for the first time. The system will recognize the faces of offenders. The initiative is presented in a draft law by the Ministry of Transport. Officials propose using the new system to punish people for crossing railway tracks in unauthorized places.
The amendments were published by the Ministry of Transport on the regulation.gov.ru portal. They propose amending Article 11 of the law "On Personal Data", allowing the processing of biometric data without the owner's consent in certain cases — such as litigation, genomic registration, or in the fight against corruption and terrorism. The Ministry of Transport wants to include monitoring compliance with safety rules on railway infrastructure, including crossings over tracks, in this list.
Additionally, it is planned to add provisions to the law "On Railway Transport in the Russian Federation" on the possibility of installing automatic photo and video recording cameras on road sections with "increased danger." The specific locations for installing such cameras will be determined by the infrastructure owner.
According to the Ministry of Transport, the number of people injured while crossing tracks in unauthorized places is growing — in 2024, 1.1 thousand people died, and in the seven months of 2025, 580. The ministry is confident that these changes can significantly affect the situation and allow offenders to be punished automatically, as is done when monitoring traffic. To do this, it is necessary to amend the Code of Administrative Offenses, but first it is necessary to amend the law on personal data, the Ministry of Transport points out.
