Medvedev wants $16,000 fine for traffic violations

Moscow, Nov 25 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has lashed out against traffic violations in the country while calling for greater responsibility on the roads and even urging a $16,000 fine for traffic violations.

“The plan is to strengthen the administrative responsibility of drivers for speeding, running red lights, crossing into the opposing lane, and other dangerous traffic violations,” he said in video address posted to his blog.

Medvedev suggested hiking the fines up to an astronomic 500,000 rubles (about $16,000) in cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg, while halving that number in Russia’s regions.

He added that the proposal would require closer consideration.

The current fine for running a red light is 1,000 rubles (about $32).

According to the prime minister’s data, nearly 28,000 people were killed in car accidents in Russia in 2011 alone.

“Even sidewalks have become unsafe,” Medvedev said, in an apparent reference to a drunk driver who killed seven people in September after losing control of his car and slamming into a Moscow bus stop.

−−IANS/RIA Novosti

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IANS 2012-11-25 07:44:04