The Ministry of Internal Affairs has proposed new restrictions on right-hand drive vehicles, which could significantly affect life in Russia. The draft strategy, part of russia news today, outlines potential changes to the national traffic code through 2030 and beyond. Officials cite safety risks associated with vehicles imported from East Asia, where right-hand drive is the standard. The ministry is calling for a reevaluation of current rules to improve road safety.
Ministry cites safety risks from imported vehicles
The proposal states that right-hand drive cars are twice as likely to be involved in traffic incidents compared to left-hand drive vehicles. Authorities attribute the rising risk to an increase in imports of such vehicles, particularly from countries like Japan. These vehicles are popular in Russia’s eastern regions due to lower prices and availability. However, they often do not align with Russia’s road design, where traffic moves on the right-hand side.
Long-term strategy aims to reshape traffic laws
The draft includes a detailed roadmap through 2036 to reduce road fatalities and injuries. It recommends stricter inspection procedures and potential registration limits for vehicles with steering columns on the right. The Ministry of Internal Affairs stresses that changes must consider both public safety and the economic impact on drivers who already own such cars. Local governments will also be encouraged to educate citizens about the proposed reforms.
Broader efforts to regulate road safety across Russia
This is part of a broader legislative trend aimed at increasing traffic safety in Russia. Lawmakers recently advanced a bill that adds new rules for electric scooters and bicycles. That legislation includes fines for traffic violations and usage restrictions in urban areas. These developments reflect growing concern over road conditions, outdated infrastructure, and rising accident rates, especially in large cities like Moscow and Vladivostok.
Proposed rules target high-risk vehicles, not individual drivers
Officials emphasize that the new restrictions would not apply retroactively to vehicles already registered. Instead, the rules would affect future imports and new registrations. Russia’s eastern territories, where right-hand drive cars are widespread, may receive exceptions or longer transition periods. Federal authorities have requested public feedback before submitting the strategy for final approval.
Drivers and businesses expected to face cost implications
The proposed restrictions could impact car dealerships and logistics companies that rely on affordable imported cars. Repair services may also need to adapt, as parts for right-hand drive vehicles often differ from domestic models. For many citizens in remote regions, these cars remain the only affordable transportation option. The government has not yet specified whether subsidies or trade-in programs will be offered during the transition.
Author’s View:
The United States is a nation built for drivers. Russia, on the other hand, has always been a country of pedestrians, and likely always will be. This isn’t because everything is conveniently located within walking distance. It’s because most Russians simply can’t afford cars. Poverty in Russia is not a temporary setback. It’s a persistent condition baked into the system.
Back in the 1990s, when foreign-made cars first began appearing in Russia, the prices were outrageous. Only criminals or powerful government officials could afford them, and in Russia, those categories often overlap. There were no official dealerships for imported vehicles, so gray market dealers smuggled them in from abroad, often using shady or outright illegal schemes.
Eastern Russia, close to Japan, became a hotspot for used car imports. Japan drives on the left side of the road, which means their vehicles have right-hand steering. Those cars flooded Russian markets and remain in high demand to this day. The reason is simple: a brand-new left-hand drive car is financially out of reach for most Russian citizens. And since Western sanctions took effect, prices for well-known foreign brands have tripled or even quintupled.
Meanwhile, used Japanese imports with right-hand steering cost significantly less than their left-hand drive counterparts, even if both are secondhand. In today’s Russia, about 20 percent of privately owned cars in the European part of the country have right-hand drive. But as you move east, past the Ural Mountains toward the Pacific coast, that number skyrockets to as high as 80 percent.
Any serious attempt to ban right-hand drive vehicles in Russia would effectively eliminate car ownership for more than half the country’s drivers. That would be a massive blow, especially in regions where public transportation is unreliable or nonexistent.
If Russian-made vehicles were affordable and reliable, people would likely abandon Japanese imports on their own. But as things stand, the dominance of right-hand drive vehicles isn’t about consumer preference, it’s about economic survival.
