Qatar traffic law changes are on the way

Qatar's traffic department is amending several traffic laws to keep pace with the growing population of people and vehicles.

A draft law is awaiting approval by the Advisory Council and it carries extensive amendments to five articles (Articles 1, 2, 41, 82 and 89) of the existing traffic law (Law No. 19 of 2007).

Car owners putting stickers on their vehicles offering them for sale and leaving them in public places like grounds, parking lots or by the roadside may soon have to seek written permission from the authorities.

Automobile showrooms as well as auctioneers using open grounds or roadsides to park cars for display and sale will also need permission from the traffic department to do so once a law that is in the offing sees the light of day.

Also, plans are afoot to set up rehabilitation centres for errant drivers who breach a certain ceiling in the demerit points system designed to discourage bad driving.

The drivers would be sent to the rehabilitation centre only once a year if they cross the ceiling, to be fixed by the traffic authorities.

Fines for violations related to parking might be substantially reduced in the new law, which will focus on making drivers aware of its provisions and of the need for their and others' safety on the roads, rather than on punitive action for violations.

Overtaking from the right side, breaching the speed limit and jumping a red light will continue to be breaches that will need more deterrent punishment.

The draft law also seeks to fix the rent for desert motorcycles and buggies that are rented out to picnickers in areas like Sealine, for instance.

The traffic authorities will not be responsible for damage to a car being seized and will have the right to auction the car if its owner does not reclaim it after paying the relevant fines or arrears. The dues will be deducted from the sale proceeds of the car and the remaining amount will be given to the owner.

If the proceeds are less than the dues, legal measures will be taken if the owner fails to pay the difference, local Arabic daily Al Raya reported.

The draft allows new cars to be issued road permits for three years. The year of expiry of the permit will be prominently mentioned on its number plate.

The traffic department would also license and monitor car showrooms, garages and car decorators and the rules will be part of executive regulations to be issued later. [The Peninsula]