Drivers will be forgiven something – Kommersant

An important stage in the reform of driver training and the issuance of driver’s licenses starts on April 1. The traffic police say that the practical exam – a demonstration of driving skills – will now become more convenient and easier for candidates. So, instead of the previous five penalty points for certain mistakes, a novice driver can score seven points before the test is stopped. In this regard, experts expect an increase in the proportion of citizens who pass the test the first time—now there are only 11%. However, along with the relaxations, tougher ones are also planned: driver candidates who fail the driving test three times are expected back at the traffic police no earlier than six months later.

On April 1, three regulations regulating the training of Russian drivers and issuing licenses came into force—amendments to the law “On Road Safety”, a new version of government decree No. 1097 “On access to driving vehicles” and changes to the administrative regulations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs ( order No. 80).

First of all, citizens who have studied at a driving school that does not have a special conclusion from the traffic police on checking the educational material base will no longer be allowed to take the exam (previously, only the educational license of the institution was mandatory). Drivers who do not have a minimum year of experience driving a car or truck will not be allowed to take the category D exam. Finally, those who have received a summons to the military registration and enlistment office will not be allowed to take the exam (and replace their license).

At the same time, passing the practical exam itself will be somewhat easier than before. Thus, previously the permissible limit of errors that a driver candidate could make was limited to five points (each incorrect action has its own weight). Now it’s seven. The scoring system has also changed. For example, five penalty points were awarded for not wearing a seat belt or crossing the stop line, now – four. The traffic police, we note, deciphered what it means “unconfidently used the vehicle controls” (one penalty point): jerking at start, excessively sharp braking, starting to move with the handbrake, long gear shifts. The element of “overtaking or getting ahead” is no longer mandatory during the examination (as it is not always possible to do this), the decision remains with the examiner.

The relaxation should likely increase the number of people passing the exam the first time. Now there are only 11% of them. “The practical part of the exam will not be easier, but rather more convenient for candidates who are nervous and make mistakes unconsciously. We are giving them a second chance,” explained the head of the Russian State Traffic Safety Inspectorate, Roman Mishurov, speaking on TVC the day before.

A representative of a driving school is now allowed to sit in the front passenger seat behind the backup pedals (previously only a traffic police examiner was allowed there). Mandatory condition: the training machine must be equipped with a light or sound alarm for pressing the backup pedals. This way, the inspector can monitor whether the driving school employee is trying to help the candidate.

For those receiving motorcycle and moped licenses (categories A and M), the traffic police has prepared an exercise called “Rut board”: the candidate needs to drive 10 m along an artificial rut without touching the ground with his feet, and stop before the “Stop” line, engaging neutral gear. The exercise “Parking a vehicle and leaving a parking space” for motorcyclists has been cancelled.

The rules for retaking exams are also changing. Previously, if a driver failed the “practice” test three times in a row, he could come again in a month. Now the period has been increased to six to nine months (depending on what date the traffic police sets). According to the traffic police, 16% of candidates fail the exam on the fourth (and subsequent) attempts. The retake period between the first, second and third attempts remained the same – seven days. Drivers who have both categories B and CE (passenger car and truck with trailer) open at the same time will now automatically receive the right to drive a passenger car with a trailer (category BE). Must have at least one year of driving experience.

New restrictions for foreigners (with the exception of citizens of Belarus) also began to apply. They will now be able to use their foreign license only for a year after receiving a residence permit, then they will need to obtain a Russian driver’s license. Citizens of the Russian Federation will be able to use foreign rights within a year from the date of their last entry into Russia. There is a grace period until April 1, 2025 – you can change your certificates without exams. After this date, if categories M, A, B are open in foreign rights, in order to obtain a Russian license you will need to pass the theory. If categories C and D are open, then you need to undergo training and pass an internal exam at a driving school, and then pass exams at the traffic police. But if a foreigner is a truck or bus driver from a country where Russian is the official language (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, South Ossetia, etc.), it will be enough to pass only the theory.

Let us recall that the law that came into force was prepared by the Ministry of Internal Affairs since 2020, and was submitted to the State Duma in 2022. There is now another bill in parliament, jointly authored by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Health, which will convert all driver’s medical certificates into electronic form. In November 2022, the document was adopted in the first reading, and is now being prepared for the second.

Ivan Buranov