At a meeting of the Committee of the Jogorku Kenesh on judicial and legal issues, law enforcement, and crime prevention, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Oktobyr Urmambetov noted that the focus of the changes is to increase responsibility for drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The following innovations are proposed in the draft law:
- In cases of traffic accidents with serious consequences, such as the death of one or more people, the possibility of exemption from criminal liability through reconciliation of the parties is excluded;
- The prison term for drivers who cause traffic accidents while intoxicated is increased;
- The possibility of probation is excluded for those convicted of traffic violations that led to serious consequences if they were under the influence of intoxicating substances;
- The court may impose a driving ban as an additional punishment, and a legal mechanism for the seizure and return of driver's licenses is introduced;
- The period of arrest for driving under the influence is increased from 7 to 20 days;
- Responsibility for speeding in areas with photo and video recording cameras is strengthened, as well as for refusing medical examination;
- It is proposed to equate mopeds to mechanical vehicles and introduce mandatory registration for them. To operate a moped, a driver's license of the appropriate category "A1" will be required.
Oktobyr Urmambetov added that law enforcement agencies are actively working on preventing traffic accidents among the population. Despite constant changes in legislation, the number of accidents remains high. Last year, 881 people died as a result of traffic accidents, including 120 minors.
Committee members approved the draft law in the first reading following the discussion.
