Several amendments to the Code on Administrative Offences come into force today. One of the innovations is the elimination of the article on drivers who have no documents. Earlier, such drivers were punished by a fine of 2 basic amounts. Also, if an offender, when stopped by a traffic police inspector, admits he is liable, the driver will be required to pay a minimum penalty within a month. From now on, road accidents settled through the so-called "euro-protocol" are not considered an administrative offense.
Stanislav Solovei, a Senior Inspector of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus: "Now the perpetrator can only be held liable if there is a victim who suffered minor bodily injuries. In all other cases, the culprit is brought to justice for other violations of traffic rules, which led to an accident."
At the same time, the liability for not having the driver’s license has been toughened. Now, re-offense entails not only a large fine, but also an arrest. Talking on the phone while driving or driving without the seatbelt fastened can potentially entail losing one’s driver’s license for 2 years.
