At a meeting of the Committee of the Jogorku Kenesh on judicial and legal issues, law enforcement, combating crime, and countering corruption, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Oktobyr Urmambetov reported that the proposed changes include, among other things, increasing penalties for drivers operating vehicles under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The draft law includes the following provisions:
- in the case of a traffic accident resulting in serious consequences and casualties, the possibility of exemption from criminal liability through reconciliation of the parties is excluded;
- drivers involved in traffic accidents while under the influence of alcohol will face stricter prison sentences;
- those convicted of serious traffic violations while intoxicated will not be eligible for probation;
- the court may impose a driving ban as an additional punishment, establishing a clear mechanism for its enforcement, including the timeframes and procedures for confiscating the license;
- the detention period for driving under the influence is increased from 7 to 20 days;
- responsibility for exceeding the average speed in areas with speed cameras and for refusing medical examination is intensified;
- mopeds will be classified as motor vehicles and will be subject to registration. To operate a moped, citizens must possess a driver's license of subcategory "A1".
Urmambetov noted that law enforcement agencies are actively engaged in preventive work with the population to reduce the number of traffic accidents. Despite annual changes in the laws, accidents continue to occur. Last year, 881 people died as a result of traffic accidents, including 120 minors.
Following the discussion, committee members approved the draft law in the first reading.
