Aggressive behavior in traffic can now be reported on a new online platform introduced by the Ministry of Interior, the Romanian Police announced. Thus, as of October 27, in the ESAR (sesizări abateri rutiere) section of the Hub.mai.gov.ro platform, road users can send information about aggressive drivers.

To submit a report, citizens need to provide identity information, including the full name and the personal numerical code, or, as the case may be, the identification code, contact details, telephone number, and mailing address, and a signed declaration attesting to the accuracy of the reported incident. Audio-video or video recordings, the date, time, place, or any other elements leading to the identification of the place where the possible incident occurred must also be uploaded.

The types of behavior considered aggressive include: 

• switching the lane repeatedly to overtake a line of vehicles traveling in the same direction;
• turning a vehicle using the handbrake;
• excessive wheel spinning when starting the vehicle from a stationary position;
• driving at a very small distance from another vehicle, in front of or behind it, as well as to the side, or suddenly reducing the speed of movement without good reason, likely to intimidate its driver;
• repeated use of sound and/or light signals to force another driver to move from the traffic lane;
• riding a moped or motorcycle on one wheel;
• reversing in order to intimidate other traffic participants;
• intentional controlled skidding;
• repeated acceleration of the engine near pedestrians.

The sanction for aggressive behavior involves 4-5 fine points (RON 660-825) and the complementary measure of withholding the driver's license for 30 days.

"The purpose of this approach is to sanction aggressive traffic behavior […] so as to reduce road incidents with particularly serious consequences," the Romanian Police said.

Romania has been in first place in the European Union in terms of deaths from road accidents, with 86 fatalities per million inhabitants in 2022. By comparison, according to Eurostat, the EU average was 46 road accident deaths per million inhabitants.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Yuri Arcurs/Dreamstime.com)