Starting from February 1, police officers in Uzbekistan have the authority to stop old cars for inspection. If a car was manufactured before 1976, the inspector immediately confiscates its license plate, leaving the owner with the option to either tow the vehicle or scrap it.
The ban on vehicles older than 50 years is explained by the need to enhance road safety, according to representatives of the inspection.
Under the new rules, cars manufactured before 1976 will no longer be allowed on the roads. Inspectors emphasize that such measures are aimed at ensuring road traffic safety.
There are alternatives, such as obtaining the status of a vintage vehicle, but for this, the car must meet original factory standards, which may be financially burdensome for many car owners.
Oybek, the owner of an old "Volga," shares that his car is in excellent condition; however, the inspector demands the replacement of numerous parts to bring the vehicle in line with factory standards. "I am not against cars being safe, but I have a perfect vehicle, and I can't use it," he says.
The government claims that the decision to ban old cars is based on high statistics of traffic accidents involving them. There are about 5.2 million registered vehicles in Uzbekistan, of which 88,000 are older than 50 years.
According to blogger and journalist Bobomurod Abdulla, there have been only 67 traffic accidents involving cars older than 50 years in the last two years, while the total number of accidents exceeds 18,500. "That's less than 0.4% of all accidents. If we're talking about safety, perhaps we should focus on more modern vehicles, like Damas, which, by the way, are not subject to the ban," he adds.
According to him, the government of Uzbekistan has primarily targeted the most vulnerable segments of the population—those who cannot afford to buy new cars. This decision also affects owners of old "Volgas," which were used for cargo transportation.
"The ban concerns vehicles that are actively used in logistics and are very reliable. I believe this decision may be related to the interests of importers of Chinese mini-trucks," Abdulla notes.
Although the authorities cite non-compliance with environmental standards as the main reason for the ban, the decree does not specify how old cars should be disposed of, leaving this responsibility on the shoulders of the owners.
