The Ministry of Internal Affairs in Georgia is launching a new traffic security program to increase safety and raise awareness of the rights and responsibilities of drivers, passengers and pedestrians.
The Ministry introduced its new programme in early December 2015, outlining amendments to current legislation to reduce the number of road crashes and address the main reasons for such incidents, including speeding, drink driving and incorrect maneuvering.
The program also offers improved control on public buses, encourages gradual upgrading of older cars nationwide, introducing off-site patrolling via surveillance cameras, restricts registration of new imported right-hand drive vehicles, refines legislation for pedestrian safety, introduces a new demerit points system for all drivers and practical driving tests that include road driving instead of the only in carparks, which is currently the norm.
The Ministry said plans were in place to introduce this initiative in Georgia in March 2016. Deputy Interior Minister Archil Talakvadze said a large-scale campaign would launch to raise awareness of the future changes to Georgia’s traffic rules. The campaign would be implemented well before the changes came into effect, allowing locals to be aware of the changes and punishments.
The amendments to the driving rules were drafted with assistance from foreign experts and non-governmental organisations.
Published on Agenda.ge
EASST would like to congratulate its road safety partner organisation, the Georgian Partnership for Road Safety, for their tireless efforts on this issue.
