Avtodor will propose to fine drivers for watching movies while driving

Drivers may be fined for watching movies and any use of gadgets while driving. Avtodor is preparing a corresponding proposal, Vyacheslav Petushenko, chairman of the management Board of the state-owned company, told Izvestia on June 19 on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-2025).

"Now one of the most difficult problems is, of course, the distraction [of drivers] when driving, and trucks, because the weight, it is undeniable. When the truck "decomposes" all the way, we lose hours. And when we look at why this is happening, we watch movies on our gadgets. Therefore, we have the following measures that we are now proposing to introduce into legislation, this is a distraction from the road," he said.

It is proposed to calculate drivers distracted by smartphones using surveillance cameras.

"It's very easy, we have a camera, we record it. Here he is distracted from the road, and we see that he is watching this TV, watching this movie. It is clear that he is probably tired or wants to distract himself somehow, and that's it. The speed there is 110 km per hour, one second — 40 m, crashed into a standing car," explained the head of Avtodor.

Violators are proposed to be punished, first of all, in rubles. As Petushenko noted, major carriers are also interested in this initiative.

"This should be introduced into legislation so that people driving, especially trucks, do not get distracted. We are talking to the carriers, this is also a loss of money for them. Because the car has fallen into disrepair. And we're going to the violators now. The first experiments in general are, roughly speaking, a conscious violation of the rules of the road, in which the road is closed. It's a loss. We are a state—owned company, so if the cars don't go, it's a loss," he said.

Petushenko added that discussions are underway for the carriers themselves to install cameras in cars to record compliance with the labor regime.

"It's a big problem for them, just like it is for us. It's a loss of image, a loss of money. So it starts with the following steps. And, of course, we see a response in this vein," he concluded.

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On June 10, the State Duma approved in the second reading a bill toughening penalties for drivers who ignore police demands to stop. The maximum fine for such a violation may increase from the current 800 rubles to 10,000 rubles.