Parliamentary panel clears bill to reduce traffic fines
Manama : Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee yesterday cleared a bill that aims to reduce traffic fines for cooperating drivers.
Committee Head Abdulla Binhowail told DT News that the bill aims to “reward cooperating drivers and reduce financial burdens on citizens and residents.”
The proposed law instructs to reduce traffic fines by 50 per cent, if paid within 15 days from the day a traffic violation is committed.
It also stipulates extending the period granted to violators to pay the minimum fines to 45 days, instead of the 30 days mentioned in the existing law.
“Committee members have discussed the bill with the Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee in the council, and the related authorities such as The General Directorate of Traffic in Interior Ministry. A report in support of the bill will be voted on by the House within the next few weeks, before it could be referred to the second branch of the Legislative Authority, Shura Council, for further discussion and approval,” MP Binhowial explained.
The proposed law calls for amending the existing Law 23 of 2014 (Traffic Law).
It was initially submitted by MP Khalid Al Shaer, seeking the amendment of Article 56 of the law, with regards to fines and violations.
The current text of the article mention’s that traffic fines should be reduced by half if drivers paid them within the next seven days of committing certain violations.
The amendment comes to grant violators eight days extra to benefit from the reduction period and adds 15 days to the period granted to pay the minimum amounts, making it 45 days.
This includes more than 25 traffic offences such as transporting passengers in the exterior part of the vehicle, damaging public or private property, driving motorcycles without a helmet, driving a vehicle without lights, careless driving, endangering the lives of others, posting stickers or advertisements or comments that violate public order and morals in any of the outer or inner parts of the vehicle, closing the road in front of public convoys, using dazzling lights, parking at night in dark places without turning on the lights.
They also include allowing children under the age of 10 to sit in the front seat, using the vehicle in private processions without permission, not committing to the right lane in two-sided roads, driving under the influence of alcohol, driving a vehicle that makes noisy sounds or emits excessive exhaust smoke, using the vehicle for a purpose other than that what’s mentioned in the driver’s licence, driving a vehicle without a registration certificate, driving an unlicensed vehicle, driving a vehicle without brakes or with brakes which are unfit to use, driving a vehicle without a driving license, deliberately blocking or obstructing a road, handing a vehicle to someone who does not hold a license to drive it, racing a vehicle and using hand-held mobile phones.
The committee also discussed a number of other bills and proposals referred to it by MPs.
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