" KazAvtoJol held accountable for substandard road conditions"
In a recent development, the Specialized Administrative Offenses Court of Taraz has handed down a decision against the regional branch of JSC "KazAvtoZhol," a transportation company, for failing to comply with an order regarding road safety violations.
The case, which was reviewed under Article 462, Part 3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, was prompted by an inspection conducted in February 2025 on a section of the Almaty - Tashkent - Termez-2 republican highway passing through the "Old Kuyuk Pass." The inspection revealed 13 violations related to road safety.
The violations, once again highlighted as the reason for the court's decision, were not addressed despite the order issued to rectify them. The participating administrative police inspector stated that the highway is of great importance due to numerous driver complaints and frequent road accidents.
The court's decision did not include suspending the activities of JSC "KazAvtoZhol" or halting specific operations. However, it did uphold the request to hold the company accountable for the unaddressed road safety violations. As a result, JSC "KazAvtoZhol" was fined 500 MCI, which is approximately 1.9 million tenge.
This case underscores the regulatory and supervisory control that transportation companies in Kazakhstan are subject to. The government enforces transport safety through legal and administrative frameworks to ensure the protection of life and health of people, as well as political and economic stability.
Kazakhstan has a structured system of administrative fines for road traffic violations and failures to comply with road safety orders. These fines vary based on the offender type and can be substantial. For example, fines for administrative violations by medium-sized businesses can reach 250 Monthly Calculation Indexes (MCI).
To facilitate the enforcement of these fines, Kazakhstan has implemented electronic systems for motor insurance registration and compliance monitoring integrated with the Ministry of Internal Affairs databases. This system enhances enforcement capabilities, aids in detecting uninsured or noncompliant vehicles, and streamlines the imposition and payment of fines.
Companies can settle fines via the electronic government payment portal, providing convenient online payments, saving time, and helping ensure transparency and ease of administrative processes. Additionally, since 2019, compulsory third-party motor insurance (OSGPO) registration is electronic, reducing fraud and supporting the identification of noncompliance. This digital infrastructure is also linked with supervisory authorities to improve the enforcement of road safety orders.
Introduced in 2025, Kazakhstan's bonus-malus insurance system assigns risk classes to drivers and companies based on accident history and violations, which impacts their insurance premiums. This system incentivizes compliance and safer practices.
In this particular case, the branch's representative disagreed with the protocol and claimed that the responsibility lies with the contractor. However, the court did not address this specific claim in its decision. The branch's request to dismiss the case was also not granted by the court.
This decision serves as a reminder of the importance of road safety and the need for companies to comply with orders and regulations in Kazakhstan. It also highlights the country's ongoing efforts to enhance road safety, regulatory compliance, and digitalization in transport oversight.
The regional branch of the transportation company JSC "KazAvtoZhol" was not only fined for neglecting road safety violations on the Almaty - Tashkent - Termez-2 republican highway, but also faces scrutiny from the government, which aims to ensure safety in public-transit and transportation industries through regulatory control for the protection of life and health of people, and maintenance of political and economic stability. The Kazakhstani government enforces these standards using electronic systems for motor insurance registration, compliance monitoring, and the imposition of fines, like the 500 MCI levied on JSC "KazAvtoZhol" for their infractions, demonstrating the country's focus on digitalization and improved road safety.
