The Bill (Reg.No.1061-5) was defined by The President as an urgent Bill requiring speedy consideration by The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
Presenting this Bill at a Committee meeting, Yuriy Lutsenko, Minister for Internal Affairs, emphasized the urgency of this Bill, given the distressing statistics on the roads. The Minister explained that the Bill creates innovative methods for dealing with Traffic Law offenders. Among these innovations he specified the Video Surveillance System and Automatic Penalty Charging of road users. Yu. Lutsenko highlighted the need for a seven-fold average increase in fines (the fine for violation of a Prohibitive Traffic Signal will be 170-204 Hryvnias, whereas a fine for a Drink Driving offence will be 1360-2550 Hryvnias). He called the planned installation of POS terminals at all State Service Posts, for 'on the spot´ cashless payments, 'a revolutionary breakthrough'.
In cases of severe and regular violations of Traffic Rules (driving whilst under the influence of alcohol, causing traffic accidents, etc), the decision on whether to revoke a driving license or issue a large fine, will only be taken by the Court.
The Bill proposes to introduce a mechanism to control systematic violations of Traffic Laws. Penalty Points will be added to a driver´s licence under a procedure set out in The Administrative Offence Code of Ukraine. Where an individual has committed violations against Traffic Laws resulting in 30 or more Penalty Points, the offender will be judicially deprived of his/her driving license, after which the points will be zeroed.
The record of penalty points issued will be carried out using a special automated system, to be created by The State Motor and Licensing Department. In the first stage, this record will be provided using the driver's license and penalty tickets.
The Bill also details the mechanism for realisation by members of the Police Force of their right to demand elimination of violations in road maintenance and operation, both from organisations and institutions, and from natural persons and legal entities, by issuing of relevant directions.
Two alternative Bills in the area of Road Traffic Safety were deliberated on at the Committee Meeting, introduced by The People's Deputies, V. Moisyk (Reg. No.1061), and V. Konovaliuk. (Reg.No.1061-3).
Committee Members recommended that the basic provisions of these Bills are taken into account.
They also upheld the proposal that administrative arrest or the total ban on holding a driving licence, are applied to the most severe violations.
They agreed that driving under the influence of alcohol should be punished by the revoking of the driving licence, together with a lifetime ban on the driving of any motor vehicle.
The People's Deputies upheld several more proposals related to penalties, and the strengthening of responsibility of personnel of The State Motor Licensing and Inspection Department.