The key facts
- The NAU proposed banning drivers with less than three years of experience from driving cars with more than 150 hp.
- For violations, a fine of 5,000 to 15,000 rubles is proposed, as for driving without a license.
- By 2027, the Interior Ministry must study the possibility of phased admission for novices; the plan sets no power limit.
An initiative of the National Automobile Union
In Russia, restrictions for novice drivers are being discussed again: the National Automobile Union (NAU) has proposed banning them from driving cars with more than 150 horsepower during the first three years after obtaining a license. The initiative was reported by SHOT, citing a publication by Life.ru. The proposal was authored by NAU president Anton Shaparin, who raised it with Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev back in May 2023. Public activists believe that powerful cars pose an increased danger in the hands of inexperienced drivers.
The proposed penalty and the author's arguments
A penalty is provided for violating the proposed restriction: a driver with less than three years of experience driving a car with more than 150 hp would be treated the same as a driver without a license. In that case, they would face a fine of 5,000 to 15,000 rubles. According to Shaparin, novice motorists are not always able to correctly judge speed and react in time to a dangerous situation. He is particularly concerned about fans of aggressive driving who film traffic violations and post the clips on social media; to identify such cases, it is proposed to set up continuous monitoring of publications.
The fate of the initiative and related bills
The question of restrictions for novices has already been included in the government's road safety improvement plan: the Interior Ministry has been tasked with studying, by 2027, the possibility of gradually granting novice drivers access to driving. However, no specific engine power limit is set in the document — meaning the figure of 150 hp remains a proposal by a public organization, not a government decision. In parallel, the government has submitted a separate bill to the State Duma on increasing fines for driving without a license: the maximum penalty amount is proposed to be raised to 30,000 rubles. This initiative does not introduce any restrictions on car power.
Why this matters
If the initiative is implemented, it will affect everyone who has recently obtained a license and plans to drive mid- and high-class cars — from the choice of a first car to the risk of a fine of several thousand rubles. The already approved item of the government plan also has practical significance: by 2027, the Interior Ministry must prepare conclusions on the phased admission of novices, so a substantive decision is still ahead. It remains unclear whether a specific power threshold will be fixed, and in what form — legislative or departmental — the restriction might appear.
