A number of amendments to traffic rules came into force from April 15.
According to the amendments, traffic lane markings and road signs will change and from October to April headlights have to be used on cars around-the-clock.
According to a resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers as of Feb. 11, 2013, No. 111, to reduce the risk of car accidents on country roads traffic rules were supplemented with a rule under which from October 1 to May 1 cars driving outside residential areas in daylight have to have illuminated running lights or dipped headlights. Violation of this traffic rules could result in a fine of a total of Hr 255 to Hr 340.
The bill also foresees that drivers traveling in a neighboring traffic lane to a bus must reduce speed and if necessary stop if children are exiting a bus.
The new traffic rules also introduce European-style road signs and traffic lane markings, as well as new notions: safety island, daylight running lights, maneuvering, traffic-controller, and advanced road coverage.
On April 5, chief of the Interior Ministry’s Center for traffic safety and automated systems Serhiy Budnyk reported that the new road signs will be installed on newly built parts of roads, while on present roads they will be gradually introduced.
Budnyk said that renewed rules include 11 new traffic signs, predominantly in three categories: information, service and indicative, as foreseen by the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals. He stressed that corrected traffic rules clearly consolidated the priority of road signs over traffic lane markings.
He also reported that until the new signs appear, drivers must observe the existing signs in residential areas.
According to the chief, during the first month of the changed rules the traffic police will concentrate on violators – not imposing fines, but conducting explanatory and preventive work.
