In Kuwait, a nation with a population of approximately 4.6 million, there has been a notable surge in calls for stricter penalties against traffic offenders as the country records 431,000 traffic violations in the past 10 months. Recent data from the Kuwaiti Ministry of Justice reveals an average of more than 1,400 violations per day during this period, underscoring concerns about road safety.
During the same 10-month span, 165 fatalities were reported as a result of traffic accidents, according to a report by Al Qabas newspaper. Traffic court cases in Kuwait numbered 15,556 from January to the end of October this year. Fines associated with these cases have totaled around KD250,000 (Dh2.96 million), and imprisonment sentences related to traffic violations reached 138 rulings. Notably, Kuwait City saw 37 of these rulings, followed by 29 in the Al Ahmadi governorate.
Legal sources have cautioned against the escalating number of traffic incidents, attributing the situation to the disregard for traffic regulations and the perceived inadequacy of deterrent penalties. They advocate for the implementation of a new traffic law to bring order to the chaotic situation, reduce violations, and penalize irresponsible drivers and lawbreakers.
In response to the rising concerns, Kuwaiti authorities have recently implemented stricter measures for issuing driving licenses and deporting expatriate offenders. A Kuwaiti official revealed that over 18,000 expatriates were deported from Kuwait in the past six months for various violations, including traffic offenses. Brigadier Nawaf Al Hayan, Chief of the Traffic Awareness Department, disclosed that these violations encompassed speeding, running red lights, participating in road races, illegal transportation of passengers, driving against traffic, and driving without a license.
Additionally, Kuwaiti authorities revoked driving licenses from 34,751 expatriates during the January-August period due to their ineligibility to hold such licenses. However, it remains unclear whether these individuals were among those deported. Earlier this year, the Interior Ministry issued a warning to the approximately 3.2 million foreigners in Kuwait to settle all outstanding traffic fines before leaving the country.
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