Level zero: how will they deal with drunk drivers
Despite the decrease in the number of "drunk" accidents, they remain a serious problem. The issues of prevention of drunk driving were discussed in the Public Chamber. According to statistics from the State Traffic Inspectorate, last year, "drunk" accidents accounted for more than a tenth (10.6%) of the total number of accidents, and deaths accounted for a quarter (25.3%) of all deaths. The severity of the consequences of such accidents is 16.9, which is twice as high as the average. What a typical violator looks like and what an error of 0.16 ppm actually means is in the Izvestia material.
Statistics are going down
From January to September 2025, almost 7,9 thousand were recorded in Russia. Accidents involving drivers who are intoxicated, which is 12.3% less than in the same period last year. 2.1 thousand people died in such accidents, and more than 10 thousand were injured (a decrease of 23.5% and 10.6%, respectively).
In addition, according to the results of nine months, over 1,700 were recorded. Accidents involving drivers who refused a medical examination, which is 7.1% less than last year. 104 people were killed and over 2,400 injured in such accidents. The decrease was 1.9% and 8.2%.
This year, 189,000 administrative cases have already been initiated for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Portrait of the violator
A typical violator is a man between the ages of 30 and 39 with secondary or secondary specialized education, usually unemployed, said Dmitry Mitroshin, head of the Scientific Center for Road Safety at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. Unfortunately, most of the violations are committed intentionally: people know that they should not drive while intoxicated, but they go for it, the expert emphasized.
The accident statistics reflect not only the optimistic dynamics, but also the fact that drunkenness at the wheel remains a serious problem of road safety, said Police Colonel Sergey Hrantskevich, head of the Department for the promotion of road safety and prevention of child traffic injuries of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.
He recalled that now driving under the influence of alcohol for the first time faces a fine of 45 thousand rubles and the deprivation of a driver's license for a period of 18 to 24 months. In addition, the statute of limitations for bringing to justice has been increased, and repeated refusal of medical examination or repeated violation will result in criminal prosecution.
The principle of the inevitability of punishment is an effective tool against violators on the roads, but educational, propaganda and preventive work is much more important, Sergei Hrantskevich noted.
— It is necessary to develop a strong immunity in the driver to the very idea of the permissibility of driving while intoxicated. And not because you will be punished, but because you may die. Or cause someone's death," he said.
Patrols and squads
There can be no instant result here, according to the State Traffic Inspectorate, but they note positive changes in the legal consciousness of society, which have resulted from the active educational work of the department.
This is evidenced by the increase in the number of signals from the population about offenses on the roads — in 2024 they increased by 25% compared to 2023. Thanks to the vigilance of citizens, more than 70,000 cases of driving under the influence of alcohol were stopped last year. This year, over 40,000 (41,723, + 6.2%) such cases have already been stopped.
Sergey Hrantskevich emphasized the role of organized communities in identifying drunk drivers — auto and motorcycle clubs, Cossack squads and social movements like the Kirov Night Patrol. The idea of using the "potential of parental patrols" was also raised during the discussion.
What is 0.16 ppm?
The everyday understanding of the state of alcoholic intoxication differs from that used by the law, the participants of the round table note.
By law, the maximum remaining amount of alcohol cannot exceed 0.16 mg per liter of air (ppm) exhaled by the driver.
— Many have already begun to forget where this figure came from. Let me remind you, this is the sum of three errors. The first value of 0.05 is just the error of the device. The second error of 0.05 is the temperature. Well, the third 0.05 is the possible alcohol content in the ambient air. The total is 0.15, and another 0.01 ppm was added in favor of the driver. So that he wouldn't be recognized as drunk if he hadn't used anything at all. That is, these 0.16 mg per liter are, in fact, an error, and not an acceptable alcohol intake. If the driver used something, then, of course, it will be more than 0.16," said Alexander Kholodov, Deputy chairman of the commission of the Russian Public Chamber for cooperation with the Public Control Committee.
A personal example
Bans and fines work only up to a certain limit, and a steady change in behavior occurs through persuasion and personal example, said Vyacheslav Kerov, chief of staff of the Public Council at the Russian Ministry of Transport, recalling that even 30-40 years ago, most drivers neglected seat belts.
"But now it's the other way around: if you're not wearing your seat belt, it means you're not taking care of yourself, your loved ones, or the passengers," he said.
The participants of the round table supported the campaign "Your measure is 0 ppm", launched by socially responsible business. In addition to training modules for driving schools and regional activities, it involves the creation of thematic murals on all federal highways.
Drunk pedestrians and illegal medicines
Meanwhile, the range of problems is wider than drunk driving. Viktor Levandovsky, Head of the Road Safety Department at Avtodor Group of Companies, recalled that drunken pedestrians are also participants and perpetrators of road accidents. In 90% of cases, getting a pedestrian under the wheels is fatal, he noted. Deputy Yaroslav Nilov recalled the need to approve a list of drugs, after which it will be forbidden to drive. The relevant bill was approved by the State Duma in the first reading.
— This is a big problem, since even the most harmless medicine for the heart from the point of view of the layman will show the content of narcotic substances. If we are talking about alcohol, then 0.16 is the threshold value that the device shows. As for medicines, it may be that a person drank medicine on Monday and turned out to be a drug addict on Friday," said Alexander Kholodov.
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