Existing traffic regulation laws are set to undergo comprehensive amendment as part of the government’s plan to introduce a series of stringent penalties and heavy fines for traffic infractions and ensure safer and more orderly road conditions.
The significant changes being planned include a three-month prison sentence and a KD500 fine for exceeding the legal speed limit; a KD300 fine and three-month jail term for drivers using a smartphone while operating a vehicle, or for driving vehicles that are dilapidated or decrepit.
Additionally, any driver who fails to make way for emergency vehicles such as firefighting, ambulances, civil defense, police, and official convoys may face fines ranging from KD250 – KD500. The amended law will also levy a fine of KD200 and a two-month prison term for drivers found to have windows with incorrect tint or shading, while the fine for placing unauthorized writings, stickers, or pictures on a vehicle’s body will range from KD100 – KD200.
Furthermore, individuals who allow their children or pets to lean out of the window of a moving vehicle will incur a fine of KD75 dinars. The proposed amendments recommend replacing imprisonment with a fine ranging from KD45 – KD75 for individuals who leave animals unattended on public roads. Similar fines will also be applied to the parking of transport vehicles, sale of mobile goods, food and drinks within residential areas, public spaces, vital areas, and oil facilities, as well as improper parking in designated or privately-owned places.
To enforce these changes, the amendments outline various provisions including:
That a police officer detecting a fatality or accidental injury resulting from traffic accidents can seize the driver’s license or vehicle license and refer the matter to the competent authority within 24 hours.
The Minister of Interior can issue a decision on the rules, conditions, and tariffs for vehicle insurance, as well as issue a decision regarding cases in which insurance companies provide compensation for vehicle accidents upon settlement.
No one may learn to drive a motor vehicle or motorbike without obtaining a learner’s license from the Traffic Department. A driving license withdrawn from its holder after first obtaining it may be returned after completion of an awareness course, following two non-serious violations within the first year of obtaining the license.
The amendments grant police officers the authority to arrest individuals found driving under the influence of intoxicants, participating in unauthorized vehicle races, and exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 km per hour, among other violations. The comprehensive proposal to amend traffic laws and regulations aim to ensure safer and more responsible driving behavior while promoting adherence to traffic regulations in Kuwait.