The new Road Traffic Act enters into force on 1 June 2020. From the police point of view, the biggest change is the administrative fines.
“With this change, the current road traffic summary penal fees become administrative fines, i.e. traffic penalty fees. The change concerns the majority of the violations detected by automatic traffic control as well as traffic-related summary penal fees issued on the spot. The administrative fine process is different and separate from the criminal process,” Chief Superintendent Maria Hoikkala explains.
The euro amount will not change significantly
According to Maria Hoikkala, the euro amounts of traffic penalty fees correspond well to the euro amounts of the current summary penal fees. There will be changes in, for example, speeding that is processed with traffic penalty fees and how so-called repeated offences impact the imposing of driving bans.
“The euro amount of traffic penalty fees for speeding vary from EUR 70 to 200 based on what the prevailing speed limit and the verified excessive speed are. The current amounts are EUR 100–200.”
After 1 June, excessive speed of a maximum 10 km/h in a speed limit area of 60 km/h at most or excessive speed of a maximum 15 km/h in a speed limit area of more than 60 km/h are no longer counted as repeated offences.
Other noteworthy changes in the new Act include the expansion of automatic control to apply to safety equipment and communications device monitoring.
A comprehensive training package for the police
The police have been preparing for the new legislation for a long time. Chief Inspector Tuomo Katajisto from the Police University College was in charge of planning a comprehensive training package for the police. The purpose was to implement the training at all police departments.
“Due to the current situation, we had to partly abandon physical teaching. However, it looks like the police departments have been able to implement the online training well. I believe that the competence level will be high in June when we start applying the new legislation,” Hoikkala says.
The new Act increases the efficiency and safety of traffic
The comprehensive renewal of the road traffic legislation began in 2013 under the Ministry of Transport and Communications. Various authorities are responsible for the implementation of the act.
The purpose of the renewal is to increase the efficiency and safety of traffic as well as to create prerequisites for the digitalisation of traffic and safe automation at the same time as the regulations are eased.
The police encourage everyone to familiarise themselves with the new regulations and traffic signs
The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom has been responsible for communicating the new Road Traffic Act. A comprehensive information package regarding the amended regulations is available at https://www.traficom.fi/fi/liikenne/tieliikenne/tieliikennelaki2020.
Maria Hoikkala encourages everyone to familiarise themselves with the new regulations and traffic signs.
“Each one of us is a user of the road, whether you are using your legs, a bike, car or some other means of transport, and it’s our duty to obey the traffic rules. As for myself, it’s been a while since I got my driving licence, so I have been reading the new Road Traffic Act out of interest — not just because of my work,” Hoikkala says.
