Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 11 February, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a videoconference on road safety issues.

- Over the past five years, this issue has not been discussed or analyzed seriously by any leader or organization. Laws and work in this area are absolutely unsatisfactory. The issue of road safety is out of control. This causes complaints from people,” the head of state said.

In 2021, more than 10 thousand traffic accidents occurred in our country, in which more than 9 thousand people were injured. About 2.5 thousand people died.

According to the analysis, 25 per cent of crashes are caused by poor road conditions and poor infrastructure. For example, on the roads between Pop and Turakurgan, Dzharkurgan and Denau, Samarkand and Guzar, on the section of the A-373 road passing through Yazyavan district, dozens of people die every year. Unfortunately, there are such dangerous places in every region, every district and city.

The meeting lists the regions where road traffic accidents most often occur, and disciplinary measures against officials are determined. The head of the department of internal affairs of Namangan region, the heads of Andijan and Samarkand regional departments of road safety have been relieved of their positions.

It is emphasized that the cause of most traffic accidents is the deliberate ignorance of the rules by drivers and their inexperience, as well as non-compliance with the rules by pedestrians. In this regard, the national program "Safe Roads and Pedestrian Safety" will be implemented in all regions this year.

The Legislative Chamber and the competent departments were pointed out the need to revise and radically improve the norms of legislation in the field of traffic, taking into account the increasing cases of gross and repeated violations of the rules.

In order to ensure the inevitability of punishment, it is planned to introduce a system of penalty points for each offense. For example, if the driver exceeds the speed limit, he will receive 1 point, and if he runs through a red light - 3 points. If the sum of violations for the year exceeds 12 points, the driver will be deprived of the right to drive a car and sent to re-pass the exam.

In addition, the procedure for determining the insurance premium for compulsory insurance of drivers’ liability on the basis of penalty points will be introduced.

A new type of liability will be introduced - road hooliganism - for irresponsible driving and obstruction of other road users.

Noting that the current Rules of the Road are outdated, the head of state instructed to update them in accordance with international standards, taking into account the opinions of specialists and drivers.

The meeting also discussed the issues of training and examination of drivers.

The number of vehicles in our country is growing every year, and the culture of mutual respect and the qualifications of drivers, on the contrary, is declining. Thus, 75 percent of traffic accidents were committed by drivers under 35 years of age. Curricula and textbooks taught in driving schools do not meet modern requirements.

In this regard, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is entrusted with the task of monitoring the quality of education in driving schools. It was instructed to revise the requirements for such schools and examination centers, to improve the efficiency of driving training and the qualifications of teachers.

The most effective way to manage traffic flows is digitalization. But progress in this direction is slow.

In particular, digital management covers only 111 out of 602 intersections in Tashkent. In other cities, there is no such system at all.

The khokimiyat of Tashkent city was tasked with digitalizing traffic control on the capital’s roads, covering all intersections within the next two years. The introduction of such a system in the regions is entrusted to the khokims of the regions.

The need to develop new concepts for organizing traffic and ensuring safety in the city of Nukus and regional centers was emphasized.

The meeting also analyzed the state of roads and infrastructure problems.

Last year, more than 10,000 appeals on traffic issues were received from the population. In particular, more than 2,000 intersections with active traffic and about 10,000 pedestrian crossings are not equipped with traffic lights and other means. About 15,000 kilometers of pedestrian and bicycle paths are missing in settlements.

In addition, half of the road signs and signs do not meet the requirements. Most of the enterprises under the regional khokimiyats responsible for the installation of road signs and traffic lights use old equipment. It was determined that these enterprises will be transferred to the administration of traffic safety in the relevant territory.

From now on, only the traffic safety system will be responsible for the installation of road signs, traffic lights and lighting, marking, determining pedestrian paths in regional and district centers, for the technical organization of traffic in general. To finance this work, the republican and regional funds "Safe Roads and Safe Pedestrians" will be created.

In addition, the monopoly of the Committee for Roads on the production of road signs will be abolished, and entrepreneurs will be attracted to this area.

The head of state instructed to make traffic on the streets more convenient for drivers and pedestrians.

- Rules of the road must be scientifically sound. On the central streets of large cities, a thoughtful speed limit should be set. In particular, in front of schools and kindergartens, the speed should not exceed 30 kilometers per hour. On some busy streets, it is necessary to reduce the speed from the current 70 kilometers per hour to 60 kilometers, Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.

In this regard, the task was set to create a scientific and practical center specializing in this area.

Responsible persons of the sphere and khokims spoke on the issues discussed at the meeting.