Public Outrage at Proposed Speed Tolerance Hike: Drivers’ Interests Pushed to the Back Seat
The Uzbek government has proposed a draft law to the Oliy Majlis, the country’s parliament, that would grant drivers a “right to speed.” This draft law aims to increase the deductible speed limit tolerance from 5 km/h to 10 km/h before fines are issued. However, this proposal has triggered public backlash and raised concerns among road safety experts and activists.
According to a road traffic safety expert, Nosirjon Zokirov, raising the speed tolerance could have serious consequences, especially for children who are often victims of accidents caused by speeding. He highlighted the potential dangers of increasing speed limits without proper research and consideration of road conditions.
Economic analyst, Otabek Bakirov, criticized the lack of public consultation on this proposal and questioned the transparency of the legislative process. He expressed concerns about the decision-making process in parliament and called for more public debate on important issues like road safety.
Journalist Muhrim A’zamkho’jayev suggested that parliament should establish a rule requiring public debate on proposed laws before adoption. He emphasized that there are more urgent road safety issues that need to be addressed first before considering raising speed tolerances.
Another journalist, Shuhrat Shokirjonov, highlighted the societal view of cars as a luxury and expressed the need for radical measures to prioritize pedestrian safety over drivers’ convenience. He called for stricter measures to ensure compliance with speed limits and advocated for studying pedestrian-focused models from Scandinavian countries.
Overall, experts and activists are raising concerns about the potential risks of granting drivers a “right to speed” and are urging the government to prioritize road safety and public consultation in decision-making processes. It remains to be seen how the Oliy Majlis will proceed with this controversial draft law.
