New fines for drivers in Ukraine: what will change and what penalties await violators

Ukraine is preparing new fines and traffic rules for drivers and pedestrians. Find out what penalties are provided for drifting, speeding, noise, drunk driving, and what changes will affect electric scooters

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Updated traffic rules and stricter penalties are on the way. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Police are preparing a series of legislative changes that will significantly affect drivers and road users.

According to Oleksiy Biloshitsky, First Deputy Head of the Patrol Police Department of Ukraine, several draft laws have been developed that provide for new sanctions and tighter control on the roads. This was reported by Ekonomichna Pravda.

Drunk driving: vehicle impoundment and confiscation

One of the key areas will be the fight against drunk driving. The new draft law provides for:

● mandatory impoundment of the vehicle if the driver is stopped while intoxicated;

● a significant increase in fines;

● during wartime — the possibility of confiscating the vehicle for the benefit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The maximum fine for drunk driving can reach UAH 51,000, and the driver's license will also be revoked.

Systematic violations of traffic rules

Another important set of changes concerns drivers who repeatedly violate the rules. For them, the following is provided:

● increased fines for repeated violations (running a red light, dangerous overtaking, ignoring pedestrian crossings);

● possible deprivation of driving privileges.

These measures are intended to discipline those who ignore traffic rules even after their first punishment.

Tire requirements: winter or all-season tires are mandatory

The new rules plan to make the use of winter or all-season tires mandatory. Drivers who do not have the appropriate tires will face a fine of up to UAH 8,500. A repeat violation may result in the loss of driving privileges. This step is intended to reduce accidents during the cold season and increase road safety.

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Personal electric transport

The legislation will finally include clear rules for users of electric scooters and other personal electric transport. Traffic rules, safety requirements, and liability in case of violations will be defined.

This is relevant given the rapid growth in the number of such vehicles in cities and the large number of accidents involving them.

New speed limit rules

Another important change is the reduction of the “non-penalty threshold.” Instead of the current 20 km/h above the speed limit, the new limit will be only 10 km/h. There will also be a clear gradation of fines depending on the amount of the excess. This should encourage drivers to comply with speed limits, especially in cities where speeding is the cause of most accidents.

Drifting, noise, and other new penalties

The package of changes also provides for new types of violations: drifting and other dangerous maneuvers — a fine of up to UAH 17,000 and deprivation of driving privileges; exceeding noise standards by vehicles — a fine of up to UAH 34,000.

Pedestrians and reflective elements

Not only drivers, but also pedestrians will have new obligations. In particular, they must use reflective elements during dark hours or in conditions of poor visibility. This rule is already successfully in place in many European countries and significantly reduces the risk of traffic accidents.

Penalty point system and public control

Among the alternative initiatives, the introduction of a penalty point system for drivers who violate traffic rules is being discussed. Accumulating a certain number of points could lead to restrictions or even the loss of driving privileges.

There are also plans to expand the ability of citizens to record violations and report them to the police.

Educational initiatives: safety from childhood

The importance of preventive measures has been highlighted. There are plans to introduce mandatory road safety lessons in schools. This should foster a culture of responsible attitude to the rules from childhood.

Oleksiy Biloshitsky emphasizes that the main goal of all innovations is to create an atmosphere of inevitability of punishment. International experience proves that this is the best way to discipline road users and reduce the number of accidents.

We remind you! From October 1, 2025, Ukrainian drivers in Poland will face fines of up to PLN 2,000 for using Ukrainian licenses without exchanging them for Polish ones. The reason is the expiration of a special decree that allowed driving without mandatory replacement of documents. Read about who will be affected by the new rules and how to avoid fines in our previous article.

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