Driving in Russia
Severe weather and lack of routine maintenance make road conditions
throughout Russia highly variable. Drivers should exercise extreme
caution to avoid accidents, which are common place in Russia. U.S.
citizens who wish to drive in Russia should also familiarize themselves
with road conditions and driving regulations in order to ensure
for their own safety.
Driver's License
A license and registration are required to operate a vehicle in
Russia. Foreigners visiting Russia for less than six months can
use their state driver's license as long as they also have a certified
translation of the license. If an American is in Russia for over
six months and intends to drive a car, s/he needs to obtain a Russian
driver's license. In order to get a Russian driver's license, an
American needs:
- A U.S. passport and Russian visa registered at local OVIR (Office
of visas and registrations)
- A medical certificate (a standard form available at any major
clinic)
- A U.S. state driver's license and a photocopy with translation.
The original license is returned to the applicant.
If the driver's license is valid, the applicant takes a written
test and gets a Russian license. If the applicant has an expired
license, they will also need to take a full driving test before
a Russian license can be issued.
If an American does not have a U.S. driver's license or is unable
to submit it to GAI (traffic police), s/he will need to attend a
driving school, collect all the above listed documents, and pass
both written and driving tests. Before they enroll, Americans should
make sure that the school is authorized by GAI and will register
the students for the tests. For further information please call
the GAI station which handles all driver's license: (4232) 32-20-46.
Vehicle Registration
Under the current Russian customs law, an American can operate
a vehicle in Russia for up to six months using a document issued
by customs at the port of entry as registration. If a car is in
Russian for over six months, it has to be registered at the local
customs office and GAI office in the region where the car will be
used.
What to do when pulled over
As a general reminder, Russian law does allow traffic police to
stop any vehicle for any reason. When a policeman reaches a vehicle,
he is required to introduce himself by name and office. He may request
the driver's license and the vehicle passport. These documents must
be provided, but the driver does not need to exit the vehicle. Even
if a fine is assessed, a citation can be written and the fine paid
while the driver remains in the vehicle.
If the infraction is such that the traffic police decide to keep
the driver's license, a written report ("protokol") of
what happened and why the license was confiscated should be given
to the driver. The vehicle passport, however, will always be returned.
"Shtatnyy" (permanent staff) and "vneshtatnyy"
(not on permanent staff) traffic police are authorized to request
drivers' documents. "Pomoshniki" (assistants), who wear
red armbands, do not legally have this authority.
Accidents
In case of an accident the driver has no obligation under law to
notify GAI, unless the accident resulted in injury or death. Should
everyone involved agree that there is no damages or that the damages
can be settled outside of court, They are free to do so. However,
GAI has to be informed and allowed to inspect the site of the accident
if a police report is required for insurance purposes or for setting
any claims that cannot be settled on the spot. It is a criminal
offense to leave the site of an accident if anyone was injured.
To report an accident one can call the general police number: 02.
Driver's Liability
Driver can operate a car registered to someone else, as long as
they have a valid license, the car registration and a power of attorney
from the owner. The power of attorney can be either notarized by
a Russian equivalent of a notary public, or certified by a representative
of the entity that owns the vehicle. Notarized documents are preferred,
as they are easier to verify and, therefore, are less likely to
raise suspicions. Under Russian law, the driver bears full responsibility
for all accidents he caused. An individual owner of a vehicle has
no liability other than the damage to the vehicle itself in case
someone else was driving. If the car is registered to a company
or organization, that entity is responsible for financial damages
resulting from the accident. In case of a serious accident, however,
criminal charges may be brought only against the driver.
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