Šaranović: I call on all road users to contribute to our shared goal through responsible behaviour
Amendments to the Road Traffic Safety Law enter into force today, introducing stricter measures, more effective enforcement, and stronger mechanisms for sanctioning the most serious traffic offences - Minister of the Interior Danilo Šaranović said.
According to the Minister, the amendments are part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to improve road safety and protect the lives of all road users. They were adopted in response to the alarming number of traffic accidents with the most severe consequences, as well as the frequent and serious violations of traffic regulations that endanger public safety.
- Every life lost on the road is an irreparable loss for families and society. For that reason, our objective is not merely to impose harsher penalties, but to foster a more responsible road safety culture in which traffic regulations are respected and the protection of human life is the highest priority – Šaranović said.
Šaranović noted that the legislative amendments are accompanied by preventive activities, including the „Live, Don’t Rush“ campaign, which continuously highlights that excessive speed, irresponsible behaviour, and deliberate violations of traffic rules can have devastating consequences.
- Every responsible decision behind the wheel can save a life - Šaranović said.
Among the most significant changes taking effect on 7 August are: higher fines for traffic offences; the possibility of temporarily confiscating vehicles from repeat offenders who commit the most serious traffic violations; the obligation to provide accurate information about the person driving a vehicle when the driver has not been directly identified; new rules for young drivers; more comprehensive regulation of light electric vehicles; stricter penalties for the unauthorized possession or use of devices emitting emergency light and sound signals; and the introduction of an average speed enforcement system on roads.
The Minister emphasized that particular attention has been given to young drivers, who, due to their limited driving experience, are among the highest-risk groups of road users.
Under the new legal provisions, drivers under the age of 21 will face additional restrictions, including a ban on driving between midnight and 5:00 a.m., as well as restrictions on operating high-powered vehicles unless accompanied by an experienced driver.
- These measures are not intended to punish young people, but above all to protect them and encourage safer driving habits during a stage of life when lack of experience is a significant risk factor - Šaranović said.
He also stressed that several of the new measures specifically target drivers who repeatedly and knowingly violate traffic regulations, as such behaviour poses one of the greatest threats to road safety. At the same time, the amendments establish a clearer legal framework governing the use of light electric vehicles, an area that had previously been insufficiently regulated, thereby creating safer conditions for all road users.
The Police Directorate, together with other competent institutions, will consistently enforce the new legal provisions and continue implementing intensive preventive and enforcement activities, with the clear objective of reducing the number of traffic accidents, fatalities, and injuries on Montenegro’s roads.
- I call on all road users to contribute to our shared goal through responsible behaviour. Respecting traffic regulations is not a matter of choice, but of responsibility, for your own life and the lives of others – Šaranović concluded.