Decree comes into force, allowing fines for out-of-season tires

The traffic police received additional opportunities to control technically faulty vehicles. On September 1, a government decree comes into force allowing inspectors to fine drivers for non-functioning ABS, non-standard xenon headlights, inoperative brake lights or side lights. In addition, from December to February, citizens will be punished for using summer tires, and from June to August – for winter tires.

The previous list of faults with which the operation of vehicles is prohibited is recognized as previously reported by “Kommersant”, obsolete. Instead, from September 1, a new regulation, approved by government decree No. 837, comes into force.

• The document establishes that from December to February, drivers of cars and light trucks (up to 3.5 tons) are expressly prohibited from operating vehicles on summer tires, and from June to August, studded tires (“Velcro” can not be used).
• Fine, according to Art. 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, is 500 rubles.

Note that the ban was previously recorded in the technical regulations for the safety of wheeled vehicles of the Customs Union. In 2016, members of the Federation Council amended the Code of Administrative Offenses, providing for a fine of 2,000 rubles. for driving on out-of-season tires, but they were rejected.

Remaining tread depth requirements remain the same (minimum 1.6 mm for cars), but clarified that inspectors have the right to check it using a special wear indicatorand if this is not at hand, then you can use a caliper. Drivers of heavy trucks and buses in the absence of winter tires (with or without studs) must now carry and use snow chains if necessary.

Another new ban on driving with an inoperative anti-lock braking system (ABS; it can turn off, for example, due to faulty wiring or a broken sensor).

• The inspector determines the malfunction by the corresponding indicator on the dashboard.
• The traffic police officer has the right to visually check the integrity of the elements of the ABS system (for example, disconnected sensor wires are visible to the naked eye).
• In addition to a 500-ruble fine for this violation, evacuation to a parking lot can also be applied – this is provided for in Part 2 of Art. 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses.
• Law enforcement practice will depend on the regions.

In order to avoid ambiguous interpretation of the rules, a number of wordings have also been clarified, for example, a ban on using a car that “does not work in the established mode or is dirty” with lighting devices.

The new document formulates more specifically: it is impossible to use light sources in headlights and lanterns, the class of which does not correspond to the “provided for in the operational documentation”. The fine will also be 500 rubles.

Under this sanction, owners of cars will fall, in the headlights of which there are non-standard gas-discharge (xenon) and LED lamps. Let us recall that the traffic police have been struggling for many years with the installation of “collective farm xenon” in optics – such light blinds the oncoming traffic. A non-functioning automatic headlight corrector (usually installed on factory gas-discharge headlights), as well as non-working brake lights and parking lights, are also now considered a violation, entailing sanctions.

Another clarification concerns the rules for ensuring visibility from the driver’s seat. Previously, it was forbidden to install any “additional items” that block the view. It has now been clarified thatrear-view mirrors, radio antennas built into the glass and windshield heating filaments are not included in such items. A number of media disseminated information that from September 1, a previously non-existent ban on attaching large tablets and video recorders to glass that obscures the view is allegedly introduced. In fact, this was forbidden before, there are no innovations here.

The new document has a lot of specifics, excluding misinterpretations, commented retired traffic police captain, founder of the public project “Overheard at the traffic police” Valentin Ilyinov. “But nothing will fundamentally change, a revolution should not be expected from the new list,” he adds. “The amended list is, by and large, a technical document that introduces into legal circulation restrictions that have long been spelled out in the technical regulations of the Customs Union, but it was impossible to fine for their violation,” explains Anton Shaparin, vice president of the National Automobile Union. , correct, because we still have people who believe that it is not necessary to change shoes in winter. As for the rest of the norms of the list, there is always a risk that each traffic police inspector will interpret them in his own way.

Ivan Buranov