Bahrain's new Traffic Law comes into force

Manama, Feb. 8. (BNA) -- Bahrain new traffic law, ratified by His Majesty king Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in mid 2014 came into force today. The law was the result of careful studies and researches that lasted for eight years. The cabinet referred the law to the Council of Representatives and Shura Council in November 2007 after sensing the importance of the law and its role in reducing traffic accidents in Bahrain, especially serious ones. The Interior Minister Lt. General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al-Khalifa ordered to set a legal framework that reduces traffic accidents. These directions were a starting point for the General Directorate of Traffic to reach the ultimate goal of saving lives and property. The law imposes tougher penalties to achieve traffic safety to deter offenders. The law will also focus on easing traffic jams. Regulating practices while using the Road: "Most developed countries maintain traffic safety through very tough, rigorous and deterrent measures", Shaikh Naser bin Abdulrahman Al–Khalifa, General Directorate of Traffic, said while talking about the need to apply the new traffic law. The General Director added that, "There was a need to impose a new law to replace the existing one that was unable to achieve deterrence. The penalties in the previous law were inefficient in achieving discipline while using public roads. The most significant aspects of the new law is that it imposes tougher penalties for anyone who commits traffic crimes, especially serious ones that could cause death or fatal injuries. The most significant crimes are over speeding and violating traffic lights. A number of points for each traffic offences: The new traffic law is designed by a "point system, that uses a set of points for every traffic fine according to the seriousness of the crime. The law will be one of traffic regulation tools, in addition to the remaining criminal and administrative measures according to each breach. The law focuses on the practice of the driver while using the road. The points will increase with the increase in violations and vise-versa. Each driver should not exceed 20 points, or his driving license will be withdrawn for three months for the first time. If the points reached 20, the license will be withdrawn for a year. The license will be withdrawn again for a year if he recollected another 20 points. In the fourth time the license will be withdrawn till the driver passes the rehabilitation course. The year starts since the withdrawal of the license, not in January 1st. The points will be erased if the year ended while not reaching 20. Using mobiles while driving: According to the new law, whoever commits any of these violations, will pay a fine of 20 BD to 200 dinars. These violations include: Transporting passengers in the exterior part of the vehicle, damaging public or private property, driving a vehicle without helmet, driving a vehicle without lights and careless driving and endangering the lives of others at risk. The law also imposes fines for stickers or advertisements or comments at any of the inner or the interior parts of the vehicle that violates the Public order and public morals, closing the road in front of public convoys, using Dazzling lights, parking at night in dark places without turning on the lights. The law fines drivers who allow children under 10 to sit in the front seats, using the vehicle in private convoys without permission, and for not commitment to the right side of the road. The violations also include not reducing speed. Parking trucks, lorries, public transport vehicles and trailers in residential areas, driving a vehicle that make sounds or exhaust smoke, loading and unloading vehicles on the road in the specified times, using the parks of disabled persons, damaging traffic signs, driving a vehicle without a registration certificate, the presence of a child in the vehicle without a singled seat and not using safety belt. The new law also included fines related to registering plates. It also imposes prison sentences that range from a month at least to six months at most and a fine of 200 to 500 BD or the two penalties for those who commit any of the following violations on purpose (the fine will be 200 dinars for the first time: Faking, defacing or changing the data of registration or number plates, Allowing other people to use one’s registration or number plates, transferring the number plates from one vehicle to another without permission and driving a vehicle without number plates or with plates that have been cancelled or defaced. The penalty would be doubled if the offender again commits any of the above violations within a year from the date of the first sentence. Those who deliberately commit one of the following violations would face a fine of 50 to 500 BD (50 dinrs for the first time): Using the vehicle for a purpose other than that 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 blocked or obstructing a road, handing a vehicle to someone who does not hold a license to drive it, racing a vehicle, using hand-held cellphone, failing to comply with loading and doing fundamental changes in the vehicles without permission. Speeding Violations: - Exceeding speed limit - up to 30% of the limit will be punished with jail from 1 to 3 months or a fine of 50 to 250 BD - Exceeding speed limit - above 30% of the limit will be punished with Jail from 1 to 6 months or a fine of 100 to 500 BD. - Causing injury and damage due to exceeding speed limit will be punished with Jail from 1months to 3 years or a Fine of 1000 BD. - Causing fatal accident due to exceeding speed limit the punishment will be doubled. If the offence was repeated within a year, the Penalty would be doubled. - The law also stipulates that: Driving under the influence of alcohol Shall be punished with jail of 1 month to 1 year or a fine of 500 to 1000 BD. - Causing traffic accident while driving under the influence of alcohols Shall be punished with Shall be punished with jail of 2 month to 2 years or a fine of 1000 to 2000 BD. - In case the offence was Repeated within a year the penalty would be doubled. - Jumping the red light Shall be punished with jail up to 6 months, and a fine of 100 to 500 BD. - Causing injury in an accident due to overtaking Shall be punished with jail from 3 Months to 3 Year or a fine of 1000 to BD. 3000 BD. The law was met with a positive response from the citizens and residents amid hopes to achieve its targets. The awareness campaign launched lately focused on the feasibility of law and the importance of adhering to its terms to achieve traffic safety and reducing traffic accidents rates. (Police Media centre)