Cases specified for arresting offenders including reckless driving
2 MIN READ
Traffic congestion in Kuwait.
Traffic congestion in Kuwait.
Cairo: Kuwait has set April 22 for starting the enforcement of a new traffic law that incorporates tough penalties including hefty fines and detention of offenders.
The country's Interior Ministry warned that the code authorizes traffic police to arrest offenders in specific cases.
Also Read: 74 expats deported from Kuwait over traffic violations
They include driving under the influence of drinking or drugs; causing an accident resulting in injury or death; involvement in a car race on the roads without a permit; and attempting to escape following an accident or in the event of failure to respond to a police to stop.
Other cases are exceeding the speed limit by more than 50km/h; driving a buggy in non-designated places; driving past a red-light signal; using a vehicle for a purpose other than its specified one or to transport passengers without a permit, driving recklessly or without a licence, or with a revoked or suspended licence; and driving without the Kuwaiti licence plate.
Up to 300 accidents a day
Kuwait, a country of 4.9 million people, records between 200 and 300 traffic accidents per day, resulting in 28 to 30 injuries. Some 90% of accidents are caused by inattention while driving.
Traffic accidents in Kuwait resulted last year in 284 deaths against 296 in 2023, according to official figures.
The fatalities included 11 children under the age of 14.
Under the new law replacing another that dated to 1976, the fine for using a mobile phone while driving increases from KD5 ($16.2) to KD75, while the penalty for not wearing a seat belt triples to KD30.
The penalty for driving past a red light is toughened from a misdemeanor to a felony. This offence is punishable by up to three years in prison and a maximum fine of KD1,000.
Kuwaiti officials have repeatedly emphasized that the new traffic law is necessary to reduce serious violations, as traffic accidents are considered the second major cause of death in the country after heart disease.
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