Government Moves to Toughen Traffic Penalties

And alongside moves to give traffic wardens more authority on the roads, the government is also tightening the consequences for motorists who break the law. Today, Transport Minister Dr. Louis Zabaneh introduced separate legislation aimed at increasing fines and jail time for drivers caught without third‑party insurance and other common traffic violations.

 

Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Minister of Transport

“Accordingly this bill seeks to amend the Motor vehicle Insurance Third Party Risk Act to increase the penalty for the offense of using a motor vehicle not covered by third party risk insurance for a fine not exceeding four hundred dollars and prison time not exceeding six months to a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or imprisonment for a term not exceeding eight months. Additionally the bill seeks to amend the general penalty in section sixteen of the act increasing the penalty for the other prevalent infractions identified from a fine not exceeding two hundred dollars or imprisonment for three months, to a fine not exceeding six hundred dollars or to a term not exceeding six months.”