Latvian Ministry of Transport supports the proposal initiated by the Ministry of the Interior to introduce the revocation of driver’s licence if the holder exceeds the permitted speed limit by more than 30 km/h, said the director of the ministry’s Public Transport Services Department Annija Novikova at a meeting of the Road Traffic Safety Council (CSDP).
Currently, the Road Traffic Law states that driver’s licence is to be revoked if the permitted road traffic speed limit is exceeded by 51 km/h to 60 km/h. In this case the applicable penalty is 240 to 320 penalty units, including the revocation of the driver’s licence for a period of three months.
If the speed limit is exceeded by even more than the aforementioned value, the fine and the period of time during which the perpetrator is not allowed to drive go up proportionately.
Novikova added during the council’s meeting that the planned proposals to the Road Traffic Law also include replacing a warning for exceeding permitted speed limits by more than 6 km/h with a fine. The proposal also includes the definition for electric scooters.
“Namely, the definition of electric scooter is supplemented with a power component, as well as the requirement, stating that an electric scooter is a two-wheeled vehicle,” added Novikova.
At the same time, she said there are also requirements planned for motorways, standing and parking rules in relation to evacuation of vehicles.
“Proposals also include penalties for repeated offences committed without Compulsory Civil Liability Insurance or valid technical inspection certificate. It is proposed for penalties to be applied for such situations once a day,” added Novikova.
The ministry’s representative reminded that the proposals currently adopted in the Road Traffic Law are the mandatory registration of electric scooters, which will come into force in April 2024, the assessment of road safety every three years, the conditions of use of common service zones, as well as behaviour correction activities for offenders who were punished for driving under the influence of alcohol, narcotic or psychotropic substances.
Also, amendments to the new requirements for winter tires have already been adopted. The latest amendments to the Road Traffic Rules will still have to be passed by the Cabinet of Ministers, which includes requirements for participation in road traffic on fast-lane roads, mandatory helmet use for cyclists under the age of 16, as well as mandatory helmet use for electric scooter drivers aged 14-17 and other requirements.
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