RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

A New Road Traffic Code

Romanian MPs are discussing a draft road traffic code.

A New Road Traffic Code
A New Road Traffic Code

, 17.10.2013, 13:34

The Romanian Government on Wednesday adopted a draft law on the amendment of an Emergency Ordinance of 2002 regarding road traffic. The new code has been already submitted to Parliament for approval. A week ago, the Government postponed the decision pending the clarification of technicalities related to the establishment of a single bank account where fines are to be paid. According to the latest provisions, fines for traffic offences will have to be paid in a bank account opened with the National Treasury, and from there will be transferred to local town halls.



Any drivers who fail to pay the fine will have their license suspended. The new code sets the maximum fine threshold at 2150 euros and the maximum license suspension period at 2 years. Under the new code, the driving of a vehicle on public roads after having used drugs or medication with effects similar to narcotics, or with a blood alcohol concentration above 0.2% is strictly forbidden. Driving with a blood alcohol concentration above 0.5% will be considered a crime and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison. Official statistics show that Romania ranks 3rd at EU level in terms of road traffic fatalities, with 11.1 victims per hundred thousand people.



According to the 2013 Global Status Report on Road Safety in 182 countries, Poland and Lithuania rank first and second in terms of traffic safety at EU level. The number of road fatalities at world level stands at 1.24 million per year. On the other hand, a recent study conducted by the Romanian Competition Council reads that in 2012 the average number of cars in Romania stood at 203 units per thousand people in 2012, as compared to the EU average of 473.



The difference is due to the rapid increase in car ownership after the period before 1989, when car prices exceeded the buying capacity of wage earners with medium incomes. Things changed really fast, to the point that the number of cars in Romania had reached 4.5 million in 2011, tantamount to nearly four times the number of cars in use in 1990. The new code is designed to better accommodate these changing realities.



Prime Minister Victor Ponta said the effective impact of the new code on the number of traffic accidents will undergo an analysis after a certain period of time, which may range from a couple of months to two years. Such a law, Ponta argues, cannot stay unchanged for 50 years, since it needs to constantly reflect changes in society.




Klaus Iohannis, at the EPC summit (Budapest, Hungary)
Today in the News Friday, 08 November 2024

EPC meeting in Budapest

European leaders met in Budapest to discuss security challenges facing Europe, with an emphasis on the situation in Ukraine, as well as the issues of...

EPC meeting in Budapest
Photo: pixabay.com
Today in the News Friday, 08 November 2024

Romania, from wages to youth unemployment

Data from the Statistical Office of the European Union – Eurostat show that the adjusted average annual full-time salary of Romanians is the fourth...

Romania, from wages to youth unemployment
Donald Trump (Photo: Facebook / Donald J. Trump)
Today in the News Thursday, 07 November 2024

Reactions to the election of Donald Trump

Many political leaders around the world have reacted by congratulating the Republican Donald Trump, who announced his victory in the US presidential...

Reactions to the election of Donald Trump
Foto: pixabay.com
Today in the News Thursday, 07 November 2024

Farmers and the Common Agricultural Policy

The Romanian Minister of Agriculture Florin Barbu and the European Commissioner for Agriculture, the Polish Janusz Wojciechowski, who is on formal...

Farmers and the Common Agricultural Policy
Today in the News Wednesday, 06 November 2024

Roxana Mînzatu, endorsed by the Romanian Parliament

Romanian Government’s proposal for the position of European Commissioner in the future Community Executive, the Social Democrat Roxana Mînzatu has...

Roxana Mînzatu, endorsed by the Romanian Parliament
Today in the News Wednesday, 06 November 2024

Japanese Investments in Energy and Technology

Important Japanese companies have expressed their interest, these days, in Bucharest, to invest in Romania, in transport infrastructure, energy,...

Japanese Investments in Energy and Technology
Today in the News Tuesday, 05 November 2024

NATO must stay united

NATO will work with the winner of the US elections, whoever that person may be and will do its best to stay united, NATO secretary general Mark Rutte...

NATO must stay united
Today in the News Monday, 04 November 2024

Moldova stays on path to Europe

Moldova’s pro-European president Maia Sandu won a new  4-year term in Sunday’s second round run-off, with over 55% of the votes cast in the...

Moldova stays on path to Europe

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company