Kazakhstan Considers Lowering Speed Limits in Populated Areas

Kazakhstan’s parliament is set to debate reducing the maximum speed limit for motor vehicles in populated areas when deputies return from their summer recess, according to Kaisar Sultanbaev, chairman of the Administrative Police Committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. “As for reducing the speed limit in populated areas, we are constantly working on legislation and our regulatory documents. We are currently considering this issue in working order. When our MPs return from their vacation, we will discuss it with them. The issue is in progress, and we will provide additional information about the decisions taken,” Sultanbaev said at a briefing. Currently, the standard speed limit in populated areas is 60 km/h, with variations in certain zones: 40 km/h near schools and up to 80 km/h on bypass roads within city limits. Sultanbaev did not indicate what the new limit might be. The Interior Ministry has previously raised similar initiatives. In spring 2024, it proposed reducing the speed of freight vehicles in populated areas to 50 km/h. The Urban Forum Kazakhstan foundation has also suggested lowering limits in Almaty to 30-50 km/h for all vehicles. More recently, in February 2025, the Prosecutor General’s Office proposed cutting the maximum speed on suburban roads from 90 to 60 km/h. Road safety remains a pressing concern. In the first half of 2025 alone, police recorded more than 3 million speeding violations nationwide. Speeding remains one of the leading causes of fatal crashes: 1,129 traffic accidents in populated areas were attributed to speeding in that period, resulting in 95 deaths. On national and regional highways, 986 similar accidents killed 180 people. At the same time, Sultanbaev noted that stricter enforcement is helping reduce casualties. Between January and June 2025, traffic accidents left 16,000 people injured, down from 26,000 a year earlier. Road fatalities also fell by 8 percent, from 1,480 to 1,366. Kazakhstan’s growing vehicle fleet compounds the challenge. Over the past 34 years, the number of registered vehicles has risen from 2 million to 5.5 million. Earlier this year, The Times of Central Asia reported that senators also proposed introducing a so-called “idiot test”, a psychophysiological assessment for repeat offenders who frequently violate traffic rules, including speed limits.

Kyrgyz Drivers to Face On-the-Spot Traffic Rule Tests During Stops

Beginning September 1, drivers in Kyrgyzstan may be required to demonstrate their knowledge of traffic regulations during routine stops by traffic police. The directive aims to reduce road accidents by ensuring that motorists are familiar with basic driving rules. The new policy was announced by government spokesperson Askat Alagozov on his Facebook page. Oral Exams During Traffic Stops Under the initiative, drivers found violating traffic rules may be asked to take an oral exam on the spot. Those who fail will have their driver’s license temporarily suspended until they pass the test. According to Alagozov, the fee for the first retest attempt will be 500 Kyrgyz som (approximately $5.70). The cost increases with each failed attempt, 1,000 KGS ($11.50) for the second, 2,000 KGS ($23) for the third, and 4,000 KGS ($46) for the fourth try. The entire testing process will be recorded on video to help prevent corruption. Drivers will regain their licenses immediately upon successfully passing the exam. A Response to Rising Road Fatalities Alagozov said the initiative responds to the country’s high number of traffic accidents, which have claimed hundreds of lives. He attributed many of these incidents to drivers lacking basic knowledge of road safety rules. “Because of those who do not know the rules of the road, children become orphans, parents lose their sons and daughters, experiencing terrible tragedies. Many become disabled,” he said. He added that prior to 2020, driver's licenses were routinely sold for 15,000 to 20,000 KGS ($80 to $150), with only 20-30% of motorists having actually passed the required exams. Mixed Reactions From the Public The initiative has sparked heated debate on social media. While some citizens support the move as a necessary step toward improving road safety, others fear it could open the door to new forms of corruption and extortion by traffic police. Authorities maintain that the video-recorded testing procedure will act as a safeguard against abuse, and insist the new policy is a serious step toward safer roads in Kyrgyzstan.