New law enforcement officers will replace two services at once: the patrol service and the traffic police (GAI).
As motorists, we are interested in whether any changes have been made to the rights of new police officers in relation to road users and in what cases they can stop vehicles.
Under the new law (adopted by the Verkhovna Rada, awaiting the signature of the President of Ukraine), a police officer can stop a vehicle only in 10 cases. In the current instructions for traffic police officers, there are 11 such items.
So, the main reasons for stopping:
According to Article 35 of the Law "On the National Police", a police officer may stop a vehicle (with mandatory introduction and notification to the driver of the reason for stopping) only in the following cases:
- The driver has violated traffic rules;
- The vehicle has no license plate, or it is not attached in the designated place, or the license plate on the vehicle does not meet requirements;
- Signs of technical malfunction of the vehicle;
- The vehicle is wanted;
- There is information about the involvement of the driver or passengers in a traffic accident or other offense;
- If it is necessary to interview the driver or passengers about the circumstances of a traffic accident or other offense;
- If it is necessary to involve the driver of the vehicle in providing assistance to other road users or police officers, or as a witness when drawing up protocols;
- A decision has been made to restrict or prohibit traffic;
- If the cargo secured on the vehicle poses a danger to other road users;
- Violation of the use of special signals on the car.
You may ask, but it seems that traffic police officers have the same reasons for stopping vehicles?
Yes, of course, that is so, except for one item: "Conducting targeted measures (operations, drills, operational plans) to check documents for the right to use and drive a vehicle, and documents for the vehicle." It was this wording that law enforcement officers most often used before to disguise an illegal stop of a vehicle.
According to most experts, the disappearance of this item should reduce the number of stops of cars by law enforcement officers.
