Amendments to the Road Traffic Safety Law, adopted by the Parliament of Serbia last week, will come into force today.
The amendments are much stricter than the previous ones and include provisions based on which vehicles will be temporarily impounded for the most serious violations.
For the first time, the law foresees the option of traffic police temporarily confiscating a vehicle until the legal proceedings against a driver who has been convicted of serious offences in the last two years have been completed.
The most important novelties
- Confiscation of a vehicle from a driver who has been convicted of serious offences in the last two years
- For the first time, electric scooters are defined as “light electric vehicles” in the law and they are not allowed to drive on pedestrian surfaces (sidewalks and pedestrian zones).
- The age limit for obtaining a driver’s license for trucks has been lowered to 18 and for buses to 21.
- Traffic police officers will carry cameras
- The legal framework for testing autonomous vehicles on roads has been set up.
- Obstacles to the modification of used motor vehicles have been removed if, during their import, it has been determined that they do not fully comply with the uniform technical conditions.
- The amendments to the law also include provisions for driving across railroad crossings which, as of now, should have where two-colour traffic lights.
- The fines for truck drivers who avoid using motorways in transit through Serbia to avoid paying toll have been increased, to a maximum of 50,000 dinars, or 25,000 if paid within eight days from the traffic offence.
Offences that could lead to the vehicle being impounded
- Driving under the influence of alcohol (over 1.2‰)
- Refusal of an alcohol or a drug test
- Driving over 80 km/h outside the village area
- Driving over 70 km/h in a town, city or village
- Driving over 60 km/h in the school zone or the “30” zone
- Exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 km/h in the slow traffic zone
- A child under 12 years of age in the driver’s seat
- A child under 12 years of age in a place that is not intended for sitting (trunk, dashboard, rear shelf, external parts of the vehicle, etc.)
- Running at least two red lights less than 10 minutes apart
- Overtaking vehicles over a solid line
- Driving without an adequate driver’s license, i.e. adequate vehicle category
- Driving while banned from driving
- Driving after suspension of the driver’s license due to accumulated penalty points
- Driving during temporary exclusion from traffic
- Driving at night on an unlit road without any lights on the vehicle
- Overtaking or passing a vehicle that is in the process of stopping or has stopped to let a pedestrian pass
- Overtaking the convoy of escort vehicles
- Not allowing escorted vehicles to pass
The new amendments also provide a tougher regulation related to injuries sustained in a traffic accident.
A fine between 30,000 to 300,000 dinars or a prison sentence of 30 days to three years is prescribed for causing minor bodily injuries. For inflicting serious bodily injuries, the punishment is from one to eight years in prison, and for inflicting fatal injuries, the punishment is from two to twelve years.
(Kurir, 15.09.2023)
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