Traffic safety in the heart of Russia

By: Reima Lehtimaki

Date: Saturday, 07. July 2007

Mr. Lehtimaki is a researcher and consultant with the traffic safety group, Autor Oy, in Helsinki, Finland.

Russia is generally regarded by the West as undergoing a period of chaos. Real knowledge about the country is rare due to lack of statistics and the fact that public information is often distorted or dramatized. Cultural differences, too, lead to misunderstandings.

Most of the information appearing in the West concerns life in the cities or military activities. But what is happening in the more remote parts of this huge multi-national country, particularly from the standpoint of traffic safety? Despite great economic problems, it is evident that the volume of traffic is growing rapidly everywhere, resulting in safety problems. How does Russian society react to this?

To find out, I recently visited the Russian republic of Mari El, about 600 kilometres east of Moscow. The trip was made possible through contacts of Ms. Aune Kamarainen, who is conducting Finno-Ugrian cultural-historical studies in Mari El. The tour itself was organized by Autor Oy. I believe the traffic safety situation in Mari El is representative of that in the entire Russian Federation.

The Mari, or the Cheremis, as they were earlier called, live along the River Volga and formed their own language and nation 2,000 years ago. Most of them now live in their own republic, Mari El. The population of the republic is 750,000 of which only 324,000 are Mari. There are also 346,000 Mari outside the borders of Mari El. The republic's capital city is Yoshkar-Ola, with a population of 250,000.

During the Soviet regime, Mari El was a forbidden area to outsiders because of military missile bases, which have since been shut down. After the collapse of the USSR, many enterprises were either closed or are now suffering great economic difficulties. The strong Soviet centralization has not yet been scrapped, making for a cumbersome administration.

Mari El has a harsh continental climate with average temperatures of +18 to +19 C in July, and -12 to -13 C in January. The terrain is flat or gently undulating. Although there are few privately-owned vehicles, their number is growing rapidly. Urban and rural public transport is abundant and profitable. There are many trucks, jeeps and motorcycles with sidecars. Bicycles are unusual in towns and the bad condition of the roads makes their use difficult in rural areas.

In fact, vehicles suffer frequent damage because of the bad roads. Service stations and repair shops are rare. Drivers have to make at least minor repairs themselves and spare parts are difficult to obtain. New vehicles are expensive. As a result, they're kept on the road as long as possible and every car owner needs a garage to protect against thieves. For visitors there are guarded, chargeable parking lots.

The motor vehicle is "the king of the road". All other traffic, including pedestrians, has to get out of its way. Drivers negotiate the streets at high speed whenever the road surface permits. Road repairs take months and potholes are not always marked. Collisions are frequent. In rural areas, collisions with cattle and game often occur.

GAI (State Automobile Inspection)

My inquiry for advance familiarization with the Mari traffic safety situation resulted in a friendly but short reaction. Mr. Anatoly I. Shakhov, the chief of State Automobile Inspection, wrote back saying: "All questions interesting you will be answered when you visit the Republic of Mari El".

At the beginning of my visit in May, 1996 the deputy chief, Mr. German A. Smolenchev, organized a program on the basis of my key questions. Mainly he, but also another official, Mr. Boris L. Vasilyev, a Deputy Chief, showed me around. Ms Aune Kamarainen was my interpreter in Yoshkar-Ola; Prof. Eugene Rostunoff, a Chechenian, acted as interpreter during my visit to Vosk, the second largest city in Mari El.

Our host organization in Yoshkar-Ola was the traffic police, known as The State Automobile Inspection or GAI. This organization controls compliance with traffic regulations, and is responsible for road safety, technical inspection of vehicles, driver examinations and licensing as well as registration of vehicles. In co-operation with the Ministries of Education and Health, GAI also organises road safety education for schools, arranging traffic competitions and so forth on a regular basis

Pronounced like the English word "guy" with a strong stress on the last vowel, GAI is a federal authority organised by the republics and their counties. Our host was the Yoshkar-Ola GAI, which serves as the headquarters of Mari El GAI and as the GAI battalion of the city.

Yoshkar-Ola GAI has 153 office and field employees. It also co-operates with neighboring republics and regions in safety matters. Another branch of the police or militia deals with other aspects of law enforcement.

The main goals of GAI in traffic are protecting human lives and safeguarding material values. About 200 fatalities occur annually in Mari El.

The main functions of GAI include:

• Control of traffic violations and compliance with traffic regulations;
• Responsibility for road safety including technical inspection of vehicles,
• driver examinations and licensing as well as registration of vehicles;
• Control of public order, common protection, heavy traffic enforcement, overload control;
• Cases of vehicle thefts, search of stolen vehicles;
  Reports of patrols;
• Speed control, roadblocks;
• Ecological matters, measurement of exhaust gas;
• Stopping vehicles when needed.

Some of these functions are carried out through traffic safety education, the training of school children, co-operation with other ministries and organizations, patrols of the city, and the compilation of traffic counts, maps and accident statistics.

Driver training

Prior to my visit, I also studied the decree of Russian traffic regulations introduced in 1994. These provide for a uniform traffic practice in Russia. There can be other standards, e.g. enacted by a republic, but they are not allowed to conflict with the overall traffic regulations. The decree's 21st chapter concerns driver training. The driver training system of Mari El was in many cases more restricted but not in conflict with the overall regulations.

Chapter 21 of the Decree on Driver Training (translated from Finnish) is as follows:

21.1 Practising the first elements of vehicle maneuvering must happen outside of common traffic or on a special training field (Comment: The emphasis here is on the basic elements of maneuvering).

21.2 Driver training in traffic is allowed only when accompanied by an instructor. The student has to know the traffic regulations and obey them (Comment: An instructor is not obliged to be in the vehicle when not in traffic. Drivers must master the vehicle before entering traffic as well as knowing traffic regulations ).

21.3 Instructors have to carry the appropriate teaching permit for the class of vehicle or must have more than three years' driving experience. They must also have a valid driving licence (Comment: A permit appears to be obligatory in Mari El. Experience alone may suffice only in very remote areas of the federation).

21.4 The trainee driver must be at least 16 years of age. However, 14-year-olds can take motorcycle training (Comment: A professional teacher or a driving school is not obligatory. However, in Mari El, a lay teacher must be a family member. Lay training applies only to motorcycles and cars. The minimum age for car licensing is 18 although, as previously mentioned, training can begin as early as age 16).

21.5 The vehicle used in driver training must have a sign identifying it as a training vehicle and must be fitted with a rear view mirror for the instructor (Comment: There are different signs for driving school vehicles and private training vehicles referring to the first letters of the Russian words for "school" and "pupil". If driver training in Mari El is given in traffic, the car must be equipped with two brake pedals).

21.6 If is forbidden to give driver training on certain roads - there is a published list of these.

Driving school training

There are about 20 driving schools in Yoshkar-Ola, but not all of them give every kind of training. These schools are either commercial enterprises or somehow publicly supported. The local sovkhos (state farm) for instance, trains its own tractor and bus drivers.

I was taken around a commercial driving school that was established in 1965 and trains car, truck, bus, and trolley drivers, professional drivers, combination vehicle drivers, and drivers carrying dangerous materials. It also provides continuing driver training. The school must follow the Russian training program issued for all vehicle categories by GAI and the Ministry of Education in 1993. There are also courses on safety conducted for mechanics and transportation chiefs of various enterprises.

The driving school operates mainly after working hours. The teachers are professional technicians with university degrees. Yet no educational training is formally required of them.

The car driver course includes 180 hours of theory and at least 16 hours of driving training. Apart from traffic regulations and matters of safety, the course places considerable emphasis on technical matters. The driver must learn to make minor repairs on the highway. Driver-trainees practise driving only on certain routes agreed to by GAI. Driving is practised both in the city and in the neighboring countryside. More driving lessons can be taken when needed, but they cost extra.

It takes two to three months to get the car licence if a pupil goes to school after working hours three times a week, four hours at time. The course for the B category licence, i.e. the car driving licence, costs 600,000 rubles. An average salary is about 350,000 rubles a month. The course for the car and truck licence costs 800,000, the bus licence 400,000 and the combination licence 300,000 rubles. The fees are regulated.

At the end of the course, the trainee has a preliminary theory test. The questions are similar to those in the official test at GAI, samples of which can be purchased in advance. After passing the preliminary test, the pupil is allowed to take the official test. The percentage of trainees failing the driver examination ranges from 8 - 12%. The extra training is free.

Textbooks

Various textbooks on driver training are easily available in Russia. They can be bought in bookstores, souvenir shops and kiosks. Even all the questions in the theory test are presented and commented on in the textbooks.

Driver examination and licensing

The arranging of driver examinations and issuing of driver licences is a function of GAI. As in most countries, the Russian driving test consists of two parts. First, there is the theory test which must be passed before proceeding. This test is standardized across Russia and students must get at least 70 per cent to pass. The actual driving test consists of two stages, the first on a closed field. Here, traffic regulations together with the basic elements of car maneuvering are tested.

After the first stage is passed, the candidate is examined on certain test routes in urban traffic. Here the examiner checks whether the candidate knows the traffic rules and follows road signs. Errors are marked on a scoring form at various stages of the test. The form also includes the directives of the examiner. The various stages have weighted error scores, the sum of which equals 100.

If the student fails the closed field test, he or she can retake the test after five days. Candidates can attempt the driving test three times. If they still fail, they are sent back to the driving school. About 98% of urban drivers and 73-75% of rural drivers pass first time. The difference between urban and rural candidates likely results from the fact that the training of the latter puts an emphasis on the rural environment, but the actual driving test takes place in town. I also got the impression that privately tutored drivers do not pass the driving test on their first try as often as the driving school trainees.

Drivers get their licence immediately after passing the examination. The international licence is used and is valid 10 years. After that, a new health certificate is needed. The driver examination costs 8,000 - 9,000 rubles, and the licence 10,000 - 11,000 rubles. About 5,000 licences are issued in Yoshkar-Ola annually.

The examiners are employed by GAI and have university degrees. They must be experienced drivers themselves. There is an institute for training examiners in the republic of Udmurtia.

Control of violators

The control of violators relies on communications among the different Russian republics. While a violation may occur anywhere between the Baltic Sea and the Pacific Ocean, the local GAI has to take the legal measures. The earlier Russian use of punching holes in the violator's licence has been abolished.

Enforcement

I was shown two types of traffic enforcemen-from police cars and at fixed checkpoints. Enforcement from a car concerned mainly speed and correct driving. A more complete control of documents, drivers, vehicles and loads is carried out at the checkpoints. Both types of enforcement are very visible. Drivers had no trouble recognizing them. One of the policemen at every checkpoint I saw was wearing a bullet-proof vest and had an automatic gun hanging from his shoulder.

I asked deputy chief Smolenchev how often the gun was needed. He replied that in his time in Mari El-he came there in 1953-he does not remember a single case in which a gun was used against humans. But a moose injured in an accident had to be shot.

Near the border between the republics of Mari El and Tatarstan there were GAI checkpoints for both republics. The emphasis there was more on public order, common protection and transport than on traffic safety. The border checkpoints reminded me a little of a customs station with long vehicle lines. The Mari El station has a steel pillbox that is entered from the rear. A policeman could stand in it and be protected from all sides. In the front of the pillbox was a narrow opening for observation and shooting. The box was painted bright yellow.

My hosts told me they must control "hooligans" who sometimes drive from the large city of Kazan to make trouble in Yoshkar-Ola. Apparently, the pillbox was there mainly for its psychological effect. Still, it must be a bit unnerving for tourists. The bad economic situation of the state has limited the resources of the authorities while criminal activity and vandalism has increased.

Ministry of Education and children's traffic education

The Ministry of Education's role in traffic safety is mainly concerned with child safety. The school traffic safety program (OBZ) begins in the first grade. Among other things, pupils learn about traffic regulations, road signs, dangerous situations in traffic and the importance of paying attention in traffic.

Each year, the authorities organize an annual traffic scout competition at the school, district, republic, and finally at the federal level. The contest requires knowledge of traffic regulations and road signs, cycling and first aid. The traffic scout activity is a voluntary school club. Scouts assist in campaigns and in theme weeks and months. Older scouts often teach children of kindergarten age. Teaching aids such as songs and examples of good and bad traffic behavior are available. It is not unusual for an active scout to be later employed by GAI.

Theme weeks or months are organized at the beginning and end of the school year. All vehicles must keep their headlights on during the first three school days so that children can see them better. GAI has a traffic campaign bus for children starting school. The new students are taken around the city in the bus and instructed in traffic lore. At one time, even helicopters were used in the campaigns, trailing a large Russian flag and safety slogans. During my visit, however, all the helicopters were being used in the Chechenian war.

The Ministry of Education works in a close co-operation with GAI and other authorities such as the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Culture. Private organizations such as driving clubs also promote children's traffic education while GAI provides schools with educational aids and videos.

In addition, courses on traffic safety are held for teachers at a continuing training institute. All teachers receive this training. Parents are also invited to meetings and are the focus of campaigns regarding the use of seat belts and how to place children in a car.

According to the Chapter 24 of the Russian traffic regulations, a bicycle riders younger than 14 years may not ride on public roadways. In Mari El, the 14-year-olds who want to ride bikes must know the traffic regulations and pass an examination for cyclists organized by the local driving club. The young riders who pass the examination get a mark on their bikes. If a bicycle ridden by a child lacks the mark, he or she is likely to get a stern lecture from a GAI policeman.

While visiting Volsk, a city in the southern part of Mari El on the Volga, I was shown traffic safety activities in a suburban school. I was taken to a special classroom (the teacher and students did not seem to have been informed in advance) decorated like a pedestrian crossing with lines painted on the floor and a traffic signal on the wall. The students were busy practising crossing a road at the lights. Later, I was taken to another room where a meeting of traffic scouts was in progress.

Road administration

Roads are administered by a triumvirate with the local Road Administration and the Road Inspection authorities subject to the federal Ministry of Traffic in Moscow. Permission for most road construction and repairs comes from Moscow, but the local GAI can also approve some changes.

The staff of the Mari El road administration consists of 2,200 persons, including 300 engineers. All the planners have university degrees. The training centre for road administration is in Pavlovsk, near St. Petersburg. Sometimes foreigners visit there and interaction with the European Union is welcomed.

Motorways are much needed in Russia, but the size of the country and the poor economic situation means they will be slow in coming. Mari El's road administration looks after 3,250 kilometres of highways and 800 bridges. Towns, municipalities and counties (rayons) maintain their roads and streets, but can make use of the services of the road administration.

Driving between Yoshkar-Ola and Volsk, we followed a highway about eight metres wide with a rather new asphalt surface. However, trucks had already begun to carve ruts on it. The shoulders of the highway were as wide as a lane, but covered with fine sand. The road went mainly through forests. As a rule, only the centre line was painted on the asphalt surface. In villages there were edge markings and separate pedestrian and bicycle lanes.

The traffic density on the Volsk highway was quite light. Heavy vehicles dominated while pedestrian and bicycle traffic was rare. The universal tendency to drive faster than the limit was evident. Oncoming drivers appeared to flash their lights if police were around. It's difficult to walk or ride on the fine sand of the shoulders. Thus pedestrians and cyclists use the side of the road. A wide gap between the road and the edge of the forests helped drivers see any game that might stray across.

Deceleration was needed at railway crossings because the surface of the highway was broken at the rail and formed a bump. Maintenance of the crossings belonged to the railway authorities, not to the road administration.

Private transport enterprise

In Volsk I visited a private transport enterprise dealing with personal and cargo transport. It had a traffic safety expert responsible for technical and educational safety. His task ranged from route studies and route guidance to accident analysis, follow-ups of legal problems, information and discussions with employees involved in traffic violations.

Traffic insurance

Article 34 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation (1993 ) states:

"1. Everyone has the right for a free use of his abilities and property for entrepreneurial and other activities not prohibited by law.

2. Not allowed is economic activity aimed at monopolization and dishonest competition".

This law permits private insurance activity in Russia and there are now 17 insurance companies in Mari El. Procentr is one of the biggest. It was established in 1991 to cover illness. Motor-vehicle insurance was included in its activities in 1992. At present, though, traffic insurance is not mandatory . Insurance fees are estimated on the basis of accidents in the corresponding administrative area. The statistics are provided by GAI. A consortium of vehicle importers, Avtoexportcentr, studies damage and evaluates it. Vehicle importers provide information to help estimate insurance fees for different brands of vehicles.

If there is no insurance, the offender is responsible for the compensation. There are two types of insurance covering either people or vehicles. Compensation may be paid for injuries, fatalities, medical treatment and disablement as well as for vehicle damage.

Insurance agents handle the coverage for private individuals, enterprises, transport companies etc. Profcentr paid out eight claims for damages in 1995 - an indication that the insurance culture has a long way to go in Russia. People do not have much money and do not understand the importance of insurance. They are also afraid they will be made to pay more than agreed in the insurance contract. Minor damage, such as broken mirrors, is not always covered. Companies also offer a personal bonus under which fees are reduced after three to four years without an accident.

Because of the very short period driving insurance has existed in Russia, drivers still need educating in its use. Sometimes an insured car will be driven more carelessly in the belief that the insurance company pays anyway. It may even happen that a vehicle is insured for a large sum with the idea of profiting from a fraudulent claim. Minor damage cases are immediately settled on the road by the drivers themselves.

Main findings

1. Centralization of traffic safety work in GAI

Russian traffic safety work is strongly centralized in GAI, which in many ways is a positive factor. Because there is only one authority, there is less overlapping of responsibilities. GAI controls driver training, holds the examinations, issues the licences, enforces traffic behavior and deals with violators. In addition, it organizes public education in safety matters and looks after road maintenance. GAI also lets citizens act for themselves, encouraging the traffic scout movement and urging drivers to carry out minor repairs. This puts the traffic police in a good light in that they support as well as control traffic safety. On the other hand, there's a danger that their wide powers put the road-user under too much supervision of one authority.

2. Public role

Certain activities of GAI make their enforcement role extremely visible. For instance, guns and power are openly displayed at road checkpoints. At the same time, questions for the theory test are readily available while the routes followed on the driving tests are easy for learner drivers to find and practice on. Many countries do not reveal their tests so willingly.

3. Economic situation and traffic safety

In bad economic times, the protection of citizens may suffer with the withdrawal of public services. In this case the police are the last protective authority. Of course police resources may diminish as well, but the police cannot withdraw like the other authorities. The GAI tries to maximize its resources with good economic planning and by getting the best from its officials and from road users.

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