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Imagine receiving a traffic ticket and, instead of paying, you just receive a warning. This possibility is getting closer to becoming a reality for Brazilian drivers.
A new bill, which has already begun to be processed in the Legislative Assembly of Mato Grosso do Sul, proposes the conversion of light or medium fines into simple written warnings, as long as the driver has not committed any infraction in the last 12 months.
According to bill authored by deputies Gerson Claro (PP) and Paulo Duarte (PSB), the conversion of fines into warnings can benefit thousands of drivers who maintain a clean traffic record.
If approved, this measure will allow drivers who commit light or medium infractions, such as parking in a prohibited place or slightly exceeding the speed limit, to only be warned instead of fined, as long as they have not committed any infraction in the last 12 months.
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Process and impacts
The project has already taken its first steps in the Legislative Assembly, where it was submitted for analysis by the CCJR (Constitution, Justice and Writing Commission). If it receives a favorable opinion, the text will advance to the next stages, passing through the merit committees and, finally, the plenary.
The change proposed by the deputies is based on Federal Law no. 14.071/2020, which had already amended article 267 of the Brazilian Traffic Code (CTB). This change determined that, when a driver commits a light or medium infraction, and has no history of infractions in the last 12 months, the fine penalty must be converted into a written warning.
This rule, which came into force on April 12, 2021, established that conversion is the driver's right and is no longer at the discretion of traffic authorities.
Regulation and adjustments to the new law
Resolution no. 918/2022 was created to adjust drivers' registrations and notes in the National Traffic System (STN), ensuring that drivers' rights are respected and that undue fines are not applied when they should be converted into written warnings.
Justifications and controversies
Representative Gerson Claro, one of the project's authors, justified the proposition as a way to protect drivers' rights and avoid undue collection of fines.
“CONTRAN has already reformulated its general regulations on the application of penalties through Resolution no. 918/2022 adjusting the registration and notes of drivers in the National Traffic System (STN).
Therefore, in order to avoid prejudice to drivers' rights and the undue collection of fines that should be converted into written warnings, I present this proposition“, declared the deputy.
However, the proposal generates debate. For some, this change could ease the financial burden on drivers who commit minor infractions, encouraging them to maintain good traffic behavior.
For others, the measure could be seen as an incentive for recklessness, since drivers could feel more comfortable committing minor infractions, knowing that they will not be fined, but merely warned.
In this sense, the question remains: do you believe that this change in the law can improve traffic or will it end up encouraging reckless behavior on the roads?
