Kyiv 

12.11.2019

14 Khreshchatyk Street

 

Participants of the International Congress on Transport Safety, held as part of the second phase of the Road Safety Week, hearing the reports and speeches of the participants of the forum, note that:

1. Legislative and executive bodies of Ukraine within their competence take measures to improve legislative regulation to improve the level of safety, regulate the market of road transport services in Ukraine, meet the needs of society and the economy, efficient consumption of resources and reduce the techno genic impact of motor vehicles, including taking into account the requirements of adaptation of the rules of the European legislation.

In particular, an important achievement for 2018-2019 for Ukraine in the field of transport policy was the creation and launch of the Road Fund, which within the special fund of the state budget is a source of financial support in the amount of 5% of road safety measures in accordance with state programs.

In order to achieve the priority goals of preserving people's lives and reducing the socio-economic losses of Ukraine from road traffic injuries, the National Transport Strategy of Ukraine for the period up to 2030, the Strategy and the State Program for improving the level of road safety in Ukraine have been approved by the legislative and executive bodies of Ukraine the period up to 2020 and a number of other legal acts, which are conceptual roadmaps for the implementation of public policy.

2. The Committee on Transport and Infrastructure of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, the Ministry of Regional Development, Construction and Housing, as well as other ministries and agencies, scientific and public organizations and funds made a significant contribution to the reform of the national transport safety management system.
3. The support of EU partners, in particular the promotion of WHO, the European Commission and the European Investment Bank, the World Bank, and international and European institutions, make a significant contribution to improving road safety in Ukraine, especially as regards approximation of national regulations and quality standards in transport safety to the laws and standards of the EU Member States.

 

At the same time, the forum participants state that:

The field of road traffic and its safety, including transport, is regulated by almost a hundred regulations.  Most of them have significant contradictions and inconsistencies between their provisions, are too outdated and do not meet the requirements of the present and the level of motorization in the country.  Legislative processes in the field of road traffic are carried out haphazardly, in the absence of analytical conclusions on the possible consequences, and consideration of issues aimed at preserving the lives of road users is carried out by the Verkhovna Rada on the final principle;

the road safety management system currently in place in Ukraine does not meet the time requirements and recommendations of international and European organizations as outlined in the reports and reports of these organizations, as well as in the UN Global Plan for the Decade of Road Safety 2011-2020. The main reasons for this situation are the absence in Ukraine of the main interagency body on road safety, the unclear division of functions and powers in this sphere between the executive authorities, the lack of  the level of institutional capacity of public authorities and local self-government bodies to analyze, plan and operate in the field, the uncertainty of the main directions and standards of road safety;

the liquidation of the units of the internal affairs bodies, which relied on the direct control over the road users' performance of the established Rules, led to the actual uncontrolled on the roads and streets of our country and as a result to the irresponsible behavior of drivers and pedestrians.

Of particular concern is the absence in Ukraine of real mechanisms for coordination and interaction between the activities of state executive bodies and local self-government bodies, scientific institutions and public organizations and business structures working in the field of road safety and having the potential to increase the level of this safety.

A significant problem in the reform of the national road safety management system is also the lack of mechanisms for financing the tasks and activities of the State Road Safety Improvement Program for the period up to 2020, including those related to improving public administration in the field of road safety and scientific support of this process, as well as introduction of automatic fixing of violations of traffic rules and strengthening of control over the technical condition of transport.

There is also concern about the current procedure for admission of novice drivers to the control of vehicles due to the lack of an objective way of detecting a person's ability to drive safely.  The conclusions of the examination commissions on the basis of which the decision on issuing the driver's license is made have the character of collective irresponsibility, which is why the number of drivers with unsatisfactory knowledge of traffic rules is increasing on the roads.

Urgent intervention requires the state of organization of admission to the work of professional drivers, first of all dangerous goods carriers and drivers of passenger transport.  The current system makes it impossible to exclude the loss of admission to transportation of drivers who have contraindications to this field of activity on psychophysiological, age, general medical indicators.  Controlling the work of professional drivers does not meet the European norms and standards, which makes it commonplace for overworked drivers, the possibility of admission to work of people in a state of alcohol or drug intoxication.

A large number of traffic accidents ends with the loss of life or work capacity of road accident participants due to lack of route medicine, logistics of first aid, poor training of special services officers and agencies in the provision of domestic care at the scene of an accident, complete absence of missing persons.

With this in mind, and given the fact that, by road safety indicators, Ukraine still has some of the worst performance among countries in the European region, Congress members recommend:

 

1. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine:

1.1. Establish a separate Committee on Road Safety and Legislation.

1.2.  For the purpose of unification and codification of legislation in the field of traffic and its safety, to recommend to the newly created Committee on Legislative Support of Road Traffic and its Safety (in the absence of it – the Committee on Transport of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine) the drafting of the Road Code of Ukraine.

1.3.  Taking into account the experience of European countries to work on the issue of amendments to Article 13 of the Law of Ukraine "On the National Police" regarding the establishment of specialized police units within the police with the functions of road safety on the state road network and immediate response to changes in the traffic situation.

 

2. The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine:

2.1. For the implementation of public administration in the field of traffic and its safety, before legislative regulation, to study the issue of creation:

the Leading Road and Safety Authority (the Committee), as a permanent, collegiate body operating on a public basis;

an analytical center with the functions of analysis of statistics of traffic injuries;  state and trends in road safety;  monitoring the implementation of government-approved strategies, programs and targets in this area;  assessing the activities of central executive and local authorities to ensure road safety;  study and develop best practices in the light of road safety measures.

2.2. In order to fulfill the obligations of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union, to intensify implementation works:

1. a) Directive 2006/126 / EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on driving licenses;
2. b) Regulation (EC) №1071/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 laying down common rules for the conditions to be complied with for the operation of the road haulage operator and terminating Council Directive 96/26 / EC;
3. c) Directive 2002/15 / EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2002 on the organization of working time of persons performing mobile road transport activities;
4. d) Directive 2014/47 / EC of 3 April 2014 on technical roadside inspection of the suitability for use of commercial vehicles moving within the Union and the recognition of Directive 2000/30 / EC as invalid;
5. e) Council Directive 92/6 / EEC of 10 February 1992 on the installation and use of speed limitation devices for certain categories of mechanical equipment;
6. f) Directive 2003/59 / EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the initial qualification and periodic training of drivers of certain types of road transport for the carriage of goods or passengers, amending Council Regulation (EEC) №3820/85 and Council Directive 91/439 / EEC, and repeals Council Directive 76/914 / EEC.

2.3. Taking into account the competence of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine in the field of traffic determined by law to ensure the implementation of:

1. a) the international standard of management of health and safety of labor ISO 45001: 2018 from 2021 in exchange for OHSAS 18001;
2. b) traffic safety management systems in accordance with the requirements of the international standard ISO39001 "Traffic Safety Management Systems (BDR)";
3. c) a single injury statistics (Injury Registry), with a detailed and clear breakdown of injuries according to the causes (injuries, poisonings, accidents, etc.) and data on where, when and under what circumstances the injury occurred, by whom and to what extent first medical, inpatient and inpatient (as needed) assistance was provided with the establishment of an automated system for entering data on injuries resulting from a traffic accident at health care facilities and using a single Injury Registry by all branches of government;
4. d) compulsory first-aid exam in driver's license, as well as regular first-aid courses every 3-5 years;
5. e) training of all categories of transport workers in the provision of first emergency medical care with constant updating of knowledge, including police officers, SES, drivers of all types of public transport, carriers, employees of Ukrzaliznytsia (train conductors, train drivers), air transport workers;
6. f) planned and methodological work on the promotion of road safety, including transport.

2.4. Ensure the development of the draft resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on identification of emergency and dangerous places (sections) on the street and road network;

2.5. Given the deadline for implementation of the Strategy and State Program for Improving Road Safety in Ukraine approved for 2020 by the Government, organize work on the preparation of a new long-term strategy and program for improving road safety by 2030.

 

3. Local self-government bodies:

In accordance with the competence defined by the legislation to ensure the implementation of road safety measures and in the first place it is:

• development, approval and implementation of local road development and safety programs;
• formation of funds, including extra budgetary funds, to finance programs and specific activities aimed at the development of road traffic and its safety;
• implementation and financing of measures related to the prevention of pedestrian traffic injuries;
• carrying out work on the promotion of road safety;
• organization of construction, reconstruction, repair and maintenance of highways, streets, railway crossings;
• organization of a system of measures for medical provision of traffic safety and control over their implementation;
• organization and control of the activity of road traffic and its safety enterprises.