2024-04-06 09:03:09
- They are bringing back the 130 km/h limit on highways
- They will also monitor how long it takes to cover a given distance – if it is too fast, there will be penalties
A serious increase in fines, for some double or even more, limitation of the maximum speed of movement and withdrawal of the license for fast driving – these are part of the changes in the Road Traffic Act, adopted by the “Denkov” cabinet at its last meeting. (What are the sanctions, see in the graphic.).
The new texts finally they go in parliament
after they were released for public discussion half a year ago.
One of the proposed changes is that the maximum speed on highways will once again be 130 kilometers per hour, not 140, as it is now. For the rest of the roads, it remains unchanged – 120 km for expressways and 90 km for non-urban ones.
In fact, Bulgaria and Poland are the only countries in the EU where the permitted maximum speed is over 130 km. An exception to the general rule is Germany, where 130 km is only recommended and not mandatory on autobahns. To reduce accidents with victims and injured, the World Health Organization recommends even greater restrictions – the speed should be reduced on suburban roads to 70 km, and on highways – to 100 km.
The government’s proposed changes to the law allow municipalities to designate even lower speed zones than provided for in the law. In residential areas for example
the limitation could be between 20 and 30 kilometers per hour
The government motivates the proposal with the fact that there will be fewer accidents because the braking distance is reduced from 40 meters at 50 kilometers per hour to 18 meters at 30 km/h.
The new texts also introduce the concept of “average speed” – that is, how long a car takes to cover the distance from one point to another. This will also determine whether he was moving faster than allowed. If, for example, the distance was 180 kilometers and it was covered on a country road in less than 2 hours, there will be a fine.
Currently, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Regional Development are working on the development of software that will allow the cameras of the toll authority to monitor the average speed.
Fans of fast driving will be fined and without a license, according to other proposed changes.
This punishment refers to excess of the permitted one speed with over 40 and 50 km
depending on whether the violation is in a populated place or outside it. The government also proposes another restriction – if the fine is paid within 14 days, 80% of its amount is due. The discount is currently 30%.
The new texts allow 17-year-olds to drive, but with an escort. This is done in order to gain experience under the supervision of an adult. That way, they would build safe driving habits more quickly.
In order to make the collection of fines more efficient, delivery of electronic receipts and penalty decrees can also be done through the employer, by registered letter with return receipt, as well as through the information system for secure electronic delivery.
Another measure is the introduction of a requirement
to pass on technical review only if paid all fines
according to criminal decrees and receipts that have entered into force.
Changes have also been proposed that apply to cyclists and electric scooters – they will have priority over a car turning right. There are also texts that prohibit talking on a cell phone for cyclists. A ban is also introduced for pedestrians to cross immediately in front of or behind a bus, tram or trolley that has stopped at a stop.
100 euro fine for aimless driving
Driving aimlessly when you’re just out for a walk can be an expensive treat in Germany.
New measures introduced by the Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs and Transport foresee a fine of 100 euros if the driver does not indicate a specific purpose of his journey during a check. The same applies to motorcyclists, according to the German publication Focus.de. According to him, the imposition of sanctions will now focus on the noise and pollution caused by a single vehicle.
Therefore, in Germany, drivers are prohibited from leaving their engines running unnecessarily and also from closing their car doors too loudly. The latter can lead to an even higher fine than that for speeding.