The Law on Amendments to the Law on Road Traffic Safety Fundamentals in Bosnia and Herzegovina, commonly known as the "Reckless Driving Law", took effect on 27 May 2026. Published in the Official Gazette of BiH on 19 May 2026, this law introduces severe penalties for the most dangerous forms of driving behaviour — from running red lights to driving under the influence of alcohol and narcotics. For drivers in BiH, this is the most significant regulatory change in road safety for 2026.
What Changes with the New Law
The Reckless Driving Law introduces an entirely new category of traffic offence into the legal system of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Until now, BiH legislation had no specific definition of "reckless driving" as a distinct legal concept. The new law changes this by precisely defining four groups of behaviour that constitute reckless driving.
First, the law treats repeated running of red lights as reckless driving. Specifically, if a driver runs two or more red lights within a 20-minute period, this qualifies as reckless driving (Source: Parliamentary Assembly of BiH). This provision targets drivers who systematically ignore traffic signals, rather than an isolated offence that may result from a momentary lapse of attention.
Second, exceeding the speed limit significantly above the permitted threshold is also treated as reckless driving. The law distinguishes between built-up areas and areas outside settlements. In built-up areas, exceeding the speed limit by 40 or more kilometres per hour is considered reckless driving. Outside built-up areas, the threshold is set at 60 or more kilometres per hour above the limit. This distinction is logical because the same absolute speed carries different risks in different environments — in a city, where pedestrians, cyclists and children are present, every kilometre above the limit carries greater danger.
Third, overtaking a column of vehicles by crossing a solid line is recognised as reckless driving. This manoeuvre, frequently seen on roads in Bosnia and Herzegovina, is one of the most common causes of head-on collisions. The law specifically targets the overtaking of vehicle columns rather than any instance of crossing a solid line, although the latter is already punishable under existing regulations.
Fourth, driving under the influence of alcohol with a blood alcohol concentration above 1.50 g/kg, or driving under the influence of narcotics and other psychoactive substances, also qualifies as reckless driving. This 1.50 g/kg threshold is significantly above the general limit for experienced drivers (which is 0.3 g/kg for most categories) and indicates a state of severe intoxication in which the driver poses an immediate danger to all road users.
Who the Law Applies To
The Reckless Driving Law applies at the state level — on all roads in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since it amends the Law on Road Traffic Safety Fundamentals in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is a state-level law, its application is not limited to a single entity or district. This is an important distinction from many other traffic regulations that are enacted at the entity level.
The law applies to all drivers of motor vehicles participating in traffic on roads in BiH, regardless of driving licence category or vehicle type. There is no exemption for drivers with foreign registration plates — anyone operating a vehicle on BiH roads is subject to this law.
Professional drivers should pay particular attention. Commercial drivers, taxi drivers, bus and lorry drivers are already subject to stricter rules regarding permitted blood alcohol concentration (0.0 g/kg for professional drivers), but the new law introduces additional sanctions through a mechanism of temporary vehicle seizure that affects the vehicle owner as well, not just the driver.
Penalties for Reckless Driving
The legislator has envisaged a multi-layered sanctioning system that combines monetary fines, driving licence suspension and, in the case of repeat offenders, temporary vehicle seizure.
Monetary fines for reckless driving have been significantly increased compared to existing penalties for individual offences such as running a red light or speeding, which until now were considerably lower (Source: Parliamentary Assembly of BiH). The law thus sends a clear message that a combination or repetition of dangerous actions is treated far more severely than isolated offences. The exact range of penalties is shown in the table below.
In addition to monetary fines, the law provides for prolonged driving licence suspension. The duration of the suspension depends on the specific offence and circumstances, but is considerably longer than the penalties currently imposed for individual traffic offences.
The strictest measure is temporary vehicle seizure on the spot. The police may temporarily seize a vehicle from a driver caught engaging in reckless driving, provided that the same driver has already been convicted with a final judgment for reckless driving within the previous two years. This means the vehicle seizure mechanism applies exclusively to repeat offenders — drivers who have already been penalised once for reckless driving and have been caught committing the same offence again.
The two-year period is an important detail. If a driver is convicted of reckless driving in March 2027 and is caught again engaging in reckless driving in February 2029 (within two years of the previous conviction), the police have the authority to temporarily seize the vehicle. If, however, the driver is caught in April 2029 (after the two-year period has expired), the standard reckless driving penalties apply, but not vehicle seizure.
| Sanction | Details |
|---|---|
| Monetary fine | up to 5,000 KM |
| Driving licence suspension | prolonged, depending on circumstances |
| Temporary vehicle seizure | on the spot, for repeat offenders within 2 years |
When the Law Took Effect
The Law on Amendments to the Law on Road Traffic Safety Fundamentals in BiH was published in the Official Gazette of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 19 May 2026 (Source: Official Gazette of BiH). Following the standard procedure for state-level laws, it took effect on the eighth day after publication, meaning it became applicable on 27 May 2026.
From that date, police agencies across the entire territory of BiH are authorised to enforce the new provisions. This includes the Border Police of BiH on motorways and state roads, cantonal police forces in the Federation of BiH, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska and the Brcko District Police.
There is no transitional period for drivers — the law applies immediately from the date it takes effect. However, for the application of the temporary vehicle seizure measure for repeat offenders, the two-year period is calculated from the date of a final conviction, which means that this strictest measure can in practice be applied no earlier than two years after the law comes into force, i.e. no earlier than May 2028.
Chronology of the law's adoption:
- The bill was submitted by members of parliament Sasa Magazinovic and Jasmin Imamovic from the SDP
- Adoption in both chambers of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH after, as MP Magazinovic stated, "more than a year of struggle and overcoming obstruction attempts"
- Publication in the Official Gazette of BiH: 19 May 2026
- Entry into force: 27 May 2026
What Drivers Need to Know in Practice
For the vast majority of drivers who observe traffic regulations, this law will change nothing in everyday driving. As MP Magazinovic emphasised in his statement: "For those who are responsible drivers, this Law essentially does not exist. But for those who endanger the lives of others, this is the end of the feeling of being untouchable."
In practical terms, drivers should pay attention to the following:
A red light means a complete stop. A single instance of running a red light is an offence that carries a standard penalty. Two or more instances within a 20-minute period qualify as reckless driving with significantly harsher sanctions. Modern video surveillance systems at intersections enable automatic recording of these offences, meaning the police do not need to be physically present to register repeated red light violations.
Speed in built-up areas is particularly critical. If the limit is 50 km/h, driving at 90 km/h or faster is considered reckless driving. Outside built-up areas, if the limit is 80 km/h, driving at 140 km/h or faster falls into the reckless driving category. These thresholds are set high enough to avoid criminalising ordinary speeding, yet low enough to capture genuinely dangerous behaviour.
A blood alcohol level above 1.50 g/kg indicates a state in which the driver is likely to experience severe impairments in coordination, visual field and distance judgement. For reference, this is roughly equivalent to consuming 7-8 standard alcoholic drinks for a person of average weight. The law is particularly strict regarding driving under the influence of narcotics and psychoactive substances, where there is no lower limit — any presence of these substances combined with driving qualifies as reckless driving.
Background and Context
The adoption of the Reckless Driving Law comes in the context of a multi-year public debate about the state of road safety in Bosnia and Herzegovina. BiH has one of the highest rates of fatal traffic accidents in Europe, and reckless driver behaviour is regularly cited as one of the main contributing factors.
MP Sasa Magazinovic, one of the law's sponsors, stated upon the law taking effect that "the goal, as in every country in the world where such a law exists, is to act preventively and deter reckless drivers from the insane driving we have witnessed for years" (Source: Parliamentary Assembly of BiH). Magazinovic also called on all drivers to adopt "a responsible attitude towards personal safety and the safety of other road users, to wear seatbelts and to avoid using mobile phones while driving, which is becoming one of the most common causes of traffic accidents".
The law was jointly proposed by MPs Magazinovic and Jasmin Imamovic, both from the SDPBiH. According to Magazinovic's statement, the legislative process lasted "more than a year", including overcoming obstruction attempts during parliamentary procedure.
Similar laws already exist in several European countries. Croatia tightened penalties for reckless driving in 2023, and Serbia has specific provisions for serious traffic offences that allow for vehicle seizure. The BiH law fits into the broader European trend of tightening sanctions for the most dangerous forms of driving behaviour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do previous convictions for individual traffic offences count towards the two-year period for vehicle seizure?
No. The temporary vehicle seizure mechanism applies exclusively to drivers who have already been convicted with a final judgment for reckless driving as a distinct offence category. A previous conviction for an ordinary red light violation or speeding (which did not qualify as reckless driving) does not count towards the two-year period.
Does the law apply only in the territory of the Federation of BiH or throughout all of BiH?
The law applies throughout the entire territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It amends a state-level law (the Law on Road Traffic Safety Fundamentals in BiH), which takes precedence over entity-level regulations in this area.
What happens to a vehicle that the police temporarily seize?
The vehicle is temporarily seized on the spot and placed in secure parking. Details regarding the duration of temporary seizure and the procedure for returning the vehicle are regulated by bylaws adopted by the competent ministries in accordance with the law.
Does the law cover the use of a mobile phone while driving?
The use of a mobile phone while driving is already punishable under existing regulations, but it does not qualify as reckless driving under the new law. The Reckless Driving Law specifically covers four groups of behaviour: repeated running of red lights, significant speeding, overtaking a column of vehicles across a solid line, and driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.
Does the law apply to drivers with foreign registration plates?
Yes. The law applies to all road users on BiH roads, regardless of the country of vehicle registration or the driver's citizenship.
Sources
- Statement by member of the House of Representatives of the PA BiH Sasa Magazinovic on the occasion of the Reckless Driving Law coming into effect - Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, 26 May 2026
- Official Gazette of BiH - publication of the Law on Amendments to the LRTSF - Official Gazette of BiH, 19 May 2026
- Law on Road Traffic Safety Fundamentals in BiH - Paragraf.ba, consolidated text