State Policy in the Field of Ensuring Road Safety: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Abstract

The article analyzes the trends in government activities to ensure road safety. It is noted that the majority of researchers as the main trend in this area highlights the regular tightening of responsibility for violations of the Rules of the road. The Author, partially agreeing with this conclusion, notes that the strengthening of responsibility in many cases is offset by the adoption of norms that repeal or substantially reduce previously established penalties. It is indicated that the increase in fines for offenses in the field of road safety was offset by the possibility of paying them in the amount of 50% of the amount imposed. The establishment of criminal liability for re-driving while intoxicated was compensated by the fact that the sanction for this crime specified a punishment in the form of compulsory labor, comparable in volume to the sanction for gross administrative offenses, and the fact that the courts in the vast majority of cases apply it is this type of punishment. It is concluded that the reduction in road accidents is possible by identifying the primary causes of road traffic accidents and the subsequent systematic tightening of liability for them.