Chief of the Russian Main Directorate for Traffic Safety Mikhail Chernikov took part in the panel discussion “Continuity of National Projects: Achieved Results and New Challenges” at the XI International Specialized Exhibition “Road-2024”, which is taking place these days in Yekaterinburg.

In his speech, Mikhail Chernikov noted that the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, together with the executive authorities, is implementing the federal project “Road Safety” of the national project “Safe Quality Roads”.

Comprehensive and coordinated work has reduced the number of traffic fatalities from 19,000 in the base year of 2017 to 14,500 in 2023.

The new Presidential Decree “On National Development Goals of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030 and in the perspective up to 2036” defines national development goals, including ensuring a comfortable and safe living environment. One of the main indicators in doing so is the reduction of traffic fatalities by one and a half times by 2030 and by half by 2036 compared to 2023. The new national project “Infrastructure for Life”, which includes the updated federal project “Road Safety”, is aimed at achieving this goal.

In order to steadily reduce the number of people killed and injured in road accidents, the State Automobile Inspectorate of the MIA of Russia carries out comprehensive measures, including preventive measures. Thus, various socially significant actions and campaigns are organized in places of mass stay of citizens, aimed at attracting public attention to the main risk factors in road traffic. For example, maternity hospitals hold awareness-raising events for young parents. Young traffic inspector squads are being developed, and the practice of teaching children safe behavior on the roads is being improved.

“We interact with the executive bodies of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation in the fields of transportation, road maintenance, medicine, education and culture. Agreements have been concluded with the regions, which contain individual road traffic fatality reduction indicators that take into account the baseline regional scenarios. Necessary methodological assistance is provided in the development of regional projects and programs on road safety,” said Mikhail Chernikov, Chief of the Main Directorate for Traffic Safety of the MIA of Russia.

In addition, the fleet of modern patrol cars of the State Automobile Inspectorate was renewed and increased. The territorial bodies of internal affairs are regularly supplied with technical means of monitoring the condition of highways and vehicles, and medical pads for providing first aid to victims of road accidents.

One of the significant problems today is accident hotspots, the number of which is decreasing very slowly. According to Mikhail Chernikov, this indicates the need to change approaches to preventive work and to shift the focus to pre-empting the emergence of potentially accident-prone places. He noted that the most effective measure is to prevent the emergence of accident-prone areas, timely receive signals from drivers and other road users about the condition of the roadway, promptly respond to reports about the absence or complete wear of road markings, signs, their improper use, poor snow removal in winter.

The Chief of the Russian Main Directorate for Traffic Safety in his speech noted the need to provide in regional projects engineering, propagandistic, social activities, primarily aimed at preventing traffic accidents, ensuring conditions for comfortable movement of all road users.

“With such a comprehensive and systematic approach of all authorities, local self-government and the public, the strategic task of reducing the number of deaths in traffic accidents will be accomplished,” said Mikhail Chernikov at the end of his speech.