Tougher penalties under new traffic law to protect road users

• The new traffic law imposes increased penalties for serious traffic violations, including speeding, running red lights, parking in disabled spaces, reckless driving, failure to wear seat belts, and using a mobile phone while driving.

Sheikh Fahad Al Yousef, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense and Interior, announced that the new traffic law will be implemented in the coming days. According to Al Jarida newspaper, the law introduces stricter penalties for serious traffic violations that pose an immediate risk to road users.

Sheikh Fahad Al Yousef, in a special statement to the newspaper during a security campaign he supervised in the Hawalli area last evening, stated that the primary goal of the new traffic law is to protect the lives of road users and shield them from reckless drivers. He emphasized that those who follow the law will not be affected by the harsher penalties.

Regarding the ongoing security campaigns, the ministerexplained that these field operations, which have continued for two consecutive days, are being conducted around the clock across all governorates. The objective is to monitor the security situation on the ground and apprehend violators of residency and traffic laws, as well as reckless drivers and anyone acting outside the law.

Meanwhile, Major General Youssef Al-Khada, the Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Traffic and Operations Affairs, noted that the new traffic law imposes increased penalties for serious traffic violations, including speeding, running red lights, parking in disabled spaces, reckless driving, failure to wear seat belts, and using a mobile phone while driving.

252 cameras to monitor phone and seatbelt violations

Al-Khada added that the General Directorate of Traffic has started installing and operating 252 cameras to monitor violations such as not fastening seat belts and using mobile phones while driving. All of these cameras will be fully operational within the next two months. He also noted that traffic control and surveillance cameras, linked to the traffic control room, function efficiently around the clock.

He emphasized that the new traffic law is primarily aimed at those who disregard traffic laws and endanger the lives of road users by committing serious violations. He also mentioned a joint media campaign with the General Directorate of Public Relations and Security Information at the Ministry of Interior to explain the provisions of the new law and the increased fines for serious traffic offenses.

The General Directorate of Public Relations and Security Information at the Ministry of Interior stated that the field security authorities—represented by the private security forces sector, the public security sector, the traffic and operations sector, and the criminal security sector, with active participation from the women’s police—conducted an extensive security campaign in the areas of Hawalliand Al-Jabria over the weekend. The campaign was held under the direct supervision of Sheikh Fahad Al Yousef, aimed at enhancing security efforts across various levels.

“We have intensified the penalties for violations that threaten people’s lives,“ the minister said.

The directorate reported that the two campaigns resulted in 2,695 traffic violations, the impoundment of a vehicle and a motorcycle by the General Directorate of Traffic, the arrest of 32 individuals without identification, and 35 violations of the Residency and Labor Law. Additionally, 15 wanted vehicles and 26 individuals accused of absconding were seized, along with 9 vehicles and bicycles, 27 individuals wanted under arrest warrants, and six individuals in possession of narcotics and intoxicants.

Women’s police boost campaign efficiency in addressing traffic violations

The General Directorate of Public Relations and Security Information at the Ministry of Interior stated that the involvement of women’s police enhanced the efficiency of the campaign, particularly in handling violations related to women. This reflects the ministry’s commitment to providing a comprehensive security environment that considers all segments of society.

The ministry reaffirmed its determination to continue security and traffic campaigns as part of its strategic plan to strengthen and maintain security across all regions of the country. It also emphasized its commitment to taking all necessary measures to achieve security objectives efficiently and effectively.

Field campaigns to enforce security and pursue wanted individuals

Brigadier General Ziad Al-Khatib, Director of Security for Hawalli Governorate, emphasized that the field security campaigns are ongoing and have not stopped. Their objective is to impose security control, pursue wanted individuals and violators of the residency law, and apprehend reckless drivers and traffic violators.

Al-Khatib stated that the Hawalli Security Directorate, in cooperation and coordination with the field security sectors, conducted two security campaigns in the areas of Hawalli and Jabriya over the past 48 hours.

These campaigns resulted in 2,695 various traffic violations, the arrest of 42 wanted individuals and absconders, the apprehension of six people on charges of possessing narcotic and intoxicating substances, and the seizure of 19 vehicles sought by security and judicial authorities. Additionally, nine violating vehicles were impounded by the General Directorate of Traffic, and nineviolators were referred to the traffic impound facility.