Eight individuals struggling with drug addiction have had their driving privileges revoked.
In a move aimed at enhancing road safety, the Ministry of Transportation of the Russian Federation (MVD) has announced that automatic driver's license renewal will cease from 2025, and individuals will need to renew their licenses manually. The MVD's decision is part of a broader focus on road safety.
However, the MVD has not yet specified whether there will be any exceptions to the manual renewal requirement, or provided details on the specific process for manual renewal. Moreover, the current status of automatic driver's license renewal in Russia in 2025, according to the MVD, is not explicitly clear from recent official statements or regulatory updates.
In a related development, the Biysk Prosecutor's Office has initiated a check focusing on identifying drivers registered with narcological dispensaries. The prosecutor's office reported that driving by individuals suffering from drug addiction and alcoholism poses a threat to road safety. As a result of the check, the prosecutor has initiated a lawsuit, and eight individuals with medical contraindications for driving had their special rights revoked.
The lawsuit aims to ensure road safety, and the MVD's decision may affect millions of drivers in Russia who currently have automatic renewal of their licenses. It is important to note that, as of mid-2025, the Russian MVD had considered and pilot-tested some digital and automated services related to driver's licenses, but fully automatic renewal without user initiative has not been broadly implemented nationwide.
The MVD's announcement has not yet been followed by any official regulations or laws, and a timeline for when the manual renewal process will begin has not been provided. For a definitive answer, direct official sources from the Russian MVD or trusted government communications would be needed.
- The focus on road safety within the Russian Federation extends beyond the Ministry of Transportation's efforts, as the Biysk Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation to identify drivers with drug addiction and alcoholism, who pose a threat to health-and-wellness and general-news due to their condition.
- The Russian MVD's decision to end automatic driver's license renewal might affect millions of drivers, and it is crucial to consider how mental health and wellness could be impacted if individuals with narcological conditions are improperly classified and denied their right to drive.
- As the MVD works towards enhancing road safety and manual renewal of driver's licenses, policymakers should consider incorporating digital and automated services to support both the health-and-wellness of drivers and the efficiency of the renewal process within the broader context of crime-and-justice and public safety.
