New and old rules: what has really changed in the traffic rules and technical inspection for Ukrainian drivers
Kyiv • UNN
Ukraine has tightened control over the technical inspection of commercial transport. Other changes to the traffic rules that are being talked about have been in effect since 2023.
Despite active discussions online, most of the "changes" to the Traffic Regulations, particularly regarding stops on highways and vehicle lighting requirements, have actually been in effect since 2023. The real innovation is the increased control over the technical inspection of commercial transport. This was announced on the telethon by Oleksiy Biloshytskyi, First Deputy Head of the Patrol Police Department, reports UNN.
Details
According to Biloshytskyi, there are no new rules regarding the prohibition of stopping cars on suburban highways as such. All current rules regarding this were introduced back in 2023.
This information has spread online as some kind of innovation that has just appeared. In fact, these changes appeared in 2023 and I would call these changes technical, because even before there was a ban on stopping anywhere on highways, namely an instruction to stop in specially designated places.
If we narrow these changes down to the practical component, then in 2023 a new road sign was introduced, which was added to the updated traffic rules. It indicates the places where stopping on highways is allowed. The penalty for violating this rule is a fine.
As for stopping in an unauthorized place, the responsibility is at the level of a fine - UAH 510, if the police detect a violation on highways. In this case, the police officer makes a decision at the scene of the offense and issues a decree
Another old rule that has been actively recalled online is the use of low beam headlights or daytime running lights.
These changes also did not appear now, but are now widely discussed online. The change was adopted in 2023, namely - it is mandatory to use low beam headlights or daytime running lights on all vehicles, if the design of the vehicle does not provide for the presence of daytime running lights. This has been in the traffic rules for over 1.5 years
He added that a fine of UAH 510 is also provided for violation of this rule. According to Biloshytskyi, more than 38,000 drivers were prosecuted for violating this rule in 2024.
Innovations regarding MOT
But what about the real innovations, these are the changes regarding the mandatory technical inspection of vehicles. At the same time, as Biloshytskyi noted, they only apply to commercial transport. Personal transport of citizens is not mentioned in this case.
A few days ago, on May 19, a new Cabinet of Ministers resolution No. 286 came into force, which introduces new approaches and new rules for conducting mandatory technical inspections of vehicles, and categories of vehicles that are subject to this enhanced control are directly identified. These are vehicles that transport oversized cargo, dangerous goods, passengers, including taxis and others that are provided for in the list.
According to him, the innovations regarding the MOT also touched upon changes in approaches to fixing this process, the detail of the recorded facts (angles of photo and video recording) and the process of passing the mandatory technical control itself.
In other words, each process in the control will be monitored more carefully in order not to miss anything. The procedure for mandatory technical control has also been improved.