As part of the Ministry of Interior’s intensive security campaigns in all governorates to crack down on various violations by expatriates, the traffic department arrested and deported more than 18,000 expatriates between March to August 2023, Arabic daily Al Rai reported.
The total number of traffic violations recorded since the beginning of 2023, in eight months, exceeded 2.6 million, of which about 1.95 million were indirect violations.
Brigadier General Nawaf Al-Hayyan, the head of the Traffic Awareness Department, stated that “the deportation of 18,486 expatriates was carried out in about six months for committing serious traffic violations such as speeding, running a red light, racing, carrying passengers, driving against traffic, or driving without a license.”
He added that under the directives of the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Talal Al-Khalid, to deploy security forces and ensure the presence of security personnel in all governorates to regulate traffic, ease congestion, and control the reckless drivers, 2,630,338 traffic violations were issued in eight months from January 1 to August 30, with 1,954,858 indirect violations and 675,480 direct violations.
He emphasized the importance of the Traffic Camera which monitors vehicles that violate the law, such as those that are wanted or have expired insurance, and identifies them to the patrol officers who issue the fine immediately and sends it to the violator through the “Sahel” application within three minutes.
According to Ministerial Resolution 270/2020, which requires the withdrawal of driving licenses from those who do not meet the conditions, Al-Hayyan revealed that 34,751 driving licenses were withdrawn from expatriates during the eight months from January to August, while 14,053 licenses were withdrawn for other reasons during the same period (6,911 administrative withdrawals – one medical withdrawal – three military withdrawals – 7,032 points withdrawals – 115 withdrawals under Article 24).