Latvian Saeima plans to raise fines for speeding violations. This measure is provided by amendments to the Road Traffic Law passed in the second reading on Thursday, the 1st of February.
Approximately 71% of motorists involved in road traffic outside of populated areas sometimes exceed speed limits. Latvia stands out from the rest of European countries as a country with an especially unsafe road traffic. Road traffic safety indexes, including speeding, use of mobile devices while driving, as well as the number of death and injuries caused by road traffic accidents, in Latvia are much worse than in most EU countries, authors of the legislative draft stress.
The Saeima press-service reports that amendments are intended to ensure that by exceeding speed limits by 61 to 70 km/h with mopeds, motorcycles, passenger cars and trucks with a gross vehicle weight not exceeding 7.5 tons, the driver will be fined between EUR 720 and EUR 960 (currently – EUR 360 to EUR 480) with suspension of a driver’s licence for a period of nine months (currently – six).
If speeding is committed in a populated area, the fine is planned to be between EUR 1 040 and EUR 1 400 (currently between EUR 540 and EUR 680) with suspension of driver’s licence for a period between nine to twelve months.
In the event that the allowed speed outside populated areas is exceeded by 61 to 70 km/h by a car towing a trailer or a truck with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 7.5 tons, the driver will have his or her driver’s licence suspended for a period of 12 to 18 months (currently 12 months).
Amendments are also intended to ensure the owner of a vehicle that doesn’t have a valid technical inspection certificate is observed participating in road traffic is informed of this. The fine for such a violation is planned to be applied no more often than once every 24 hours.
Amendments also state the requirement to have a driver’s licence with them will apply to drivers of mechanical vehicles, bicycles and electric scooters.
For the legislative draft to come into force, the Saeima needs to pass it in the third and final reading.
Also read: Saeima conceptually approves requirement to state product country of origin on price tags
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