In Russia, penalties for traffic violations with children in the car will be toughened. The Government of the Russian Federation made this request to a number of ministries. The corresponding document is published on the website of the Cabinet. The term for the execution of the order is until March 31, 2020.
“To work out the issue of amending the Code of the Russian Federation on administrative offenses in terms of attributing to circumstances aggravating administrative responsibility, committing an administrative offense with minors in the vehicle’s cabin,” the document says.
The government made such a decision following a meeting on the topic of protecting children from traffic accidents. During it, it was concluded that in Russia the number of accidents involving minors is growing.
“The heads of the highest executive bodies of state power of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation should pay attention to the increase in the number of road traffic accidents involving children and recommend that they take personal control of the situation with child traffic injuries and report the results to them at the next meeting,” the Cabinet emphasized.
Thus, according to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the number of accidents involving children decreased from 2012 to 2018 by 4.5%, but in 2019 it again showed an increase of 1.2%. The number of injured minors increased by 1.6%.
A similar situation could arise due to the fact that children in cars do not drive in special seats, said the head of the Russian Federation of Car Owners of Russia (FAR) Sergey Kanaev.
“In this case, I understand the government’s concern about the high infant mortality rate. This may be due to children being out of the seats, ”he told RT.
Note that, according to official statistics, in Russia in 2017, road deaths amounted to 13 deaths per 100 thousand people. By 2024, this figure should fall to 5 deaths - this is stated in the Road Safety Strategy.
However, according to Kanayev, there is no need to toughen punishment. Konstantin Krokhmal, head of the Road Safety Management system, does not agree with him.
“The fact is that it’s really overdue, this is absolutely the right initiative, for a long time it was necessary to do this. But here we need to work out the main point that may arise: this is that a huge number of violations are recorded by video recording cameras, and she (camera. - RT ) cannot X-ray to see if there is a minor child, a baby in the cabin, ”he told RT.
“In the case when an employee stops, and seeing that for any minor violation there is a minor child in the car, I believe that the punishment should be a thousand times worse for the driver,” the expert emphasized.
- Baby car seat
- © Wikimedia commons / Norio NAKAYAMA
“This measure is necessary”
The State Duma announced support for this initiative. The deputy chairman of the lower house committee on transport and construction, Vladimir Afonsky, said that the deputies would join in the implementation of this order.
“We will definitely join in its implementation, we will work out measures to really punish drivers for violating traffic rules, we will communicate with the Ministry of Transport and the traffic police on this issue. Therefore, I believe that this measure is necessary, ”he said in a conversation with RT.
According to Athos, this is due to the defenselessness of children in possible accidents.
“The problem is that the consequences of violation of the rules of the road in the case of children in the vehicle, unfortunately, are very tragic. Since children are less protected, ”the deputy explained.
However, the risks are borne by the rest of the drivers, said car dealer Dmitry Slavnov. According to him, those motorists whose traffic violations led to the accident involving minors should also bear a more stringent responsibility.
“Another car owner, who goes alone without a child, just flies to red, and he doesn’t care if the child is in another car, is fastened or not. Why, in the event of an accident, he will not be liable more than the father of the child who was in the car? ... He is a source of danger, ”the expert emphasized.
Other government assignments
The government has also taken a number of other decisions to deal with accidents involving children. Thus, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Internal Affairs should amend educational standards by March 31 of next year in order to improve road safety.
The Ministry of Culture will have to organize, together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Russian Union of Auto Insurers, the display of social advertising in movie theaters and movie networks. The term of this order is the last quarter of this year, and then on an ongoing basis.
Until March 31, 2020, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and Rosstandart will work out amendments to the technical regulations of the Customs Union on products intended for children and adolescents. We are talking, for example, about sports and tourist clothes, satchels, bags, backpacks and briefcases. Also, the Ministry of Industry and Trade will have to submit a proposal by December 2 to subsidize manufacturers of "child restraints." Such a step should make child car seats more affordable.
The Ministry of Health, together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, by March 31 of next year should present a mechanism for confirming the driver’s right to drive a car. It should be based on a medical opinion on contraindications.