Errant drivers face tougher penalties

Errant drivers face tougher penalties
Published: Tuesday, 7 August, 2007, 01:53 AM Doha Time
Staff Reporter
In a major move to curb the growing number of accidents and reckless driving on Qatar’s roads, the government yesterday promulgated a new Traffic Law, stipulating severe penalties for violators including a point system which would ultimately lead to the cancellation of a habitual offender’s driving licence.
Decree No 19 of 2007, issued by HH the Deputy Emir and Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, said a driving licence may be suspended for three months when the total violations reached 14 points for the first time.
If the same person gathered 12 points again, his licence would be suspended for six months, nine months on the accumulation of the next 10 points and one year for the next eight points.
Ultimately, a driving licence may be cancelled if the same offender earned six points for the fifth time. And in this case, a new driving licence shall be issued only after he passed a new driving test.
However, the law said the earlier points in one’s account would be removed if that person did not commit any traffic violation during one year from the time his licence was revoked.
The penalty for using mobile phones while driving has been enhanced. The violator will have to pay a minimum fine of QR3,000 and a maximum fine of QR10,000. He is also liable for imprisonment up to one year.
Motorists who commit violations like driving with no authorised licence, driving under the influence of liquor, driving in the opposite direction of traffic flow, escaping from the accident site, causing sound and air pollution and exceeding the speed limit would be punishable by imprisonment from one month to three years or fined QR10,000 to 50,000 or both.
According to the new law, the punishment for the following offences are also the same as mentioned above: Not wearing seat belts, allowing children below 10 years sit in the front passenger seat, not giving way to official motorcades and the vehicles of the police, civil defence and ambulances, not leaving enough space between two vehicles and motorcyclists allowing another passenger sit behind them (pillion riding).
The law stipulates that the driver and the front seat passenger should wear seat belts all the time.
According to article 104, insurance companies refusing third party insurance would be punishable by a fine of QR10,000.
Article 66 of the new law says that in the event of an accident, the involved motorists should immediately call the police and render assistance to the injured. The motorists should not move their vehicles from the spot until the policeman arrived.
If there are no major injuries to the passengers or damage to the vehicles, the involved parties may move the vehicles to a nearby spot so that traffic flow is not affected.
Cyclists should keep to the right side of the road and should ride in one line. Motorcyclists are not allowed to ride on one wheel. Both should wear helmets.
Prior permissions should be sought before holding any type of races on the roads, the law said.
A national committee for traffic safety will be formed at the Interior Ministry with the aim of drafting the general policy concerning traffic rules, the decree said.
VIOLATION POINT SYSTEM
Violators of traffic rules will be given negative points as follows:
Jumping the red light:...................... seven points
Driving in the opposite direction:.......... six points
Driving under the influence of alcohol:..... six points
Exceeding the maximum speed:................ four points
Driving recklessly and dangerously:......... four points
Driving with defective brakes: ............. four points
Driving with inappropriate licence:......... three points
Driving with stripped or invalid licence:... three points
Violating norms of public morality:......... three points
Driving an unregistered vehicle: .......... three points
Driving a vehicle without number plates:.... three points
Unauthorised changes made to number plates:. three points
Providing wrong information to pass the technical inspection: three points
Using the vehicle for the wrong purpose:.... three points
Blocking the flow of traffic intentionally:. three points
Driving a vehicle without a proper silencer: three points
Driving a polluting vehicle:................ three points
Driving a vehicle that leaks any material that can damage the road: .. three points
Driving a vehicle which drops loads which can endanger the public safety: ............................. three points
Driving on the embankment:.................. three points
Making a wrong U-turn: .................... three points
Changing a vital part of the vehicle without a written permission from the authorities: ........... three points
Giving the licence to someone who has no licence:..two points
Driving a vehicle with unclear number plates:. two points
Driving with only one number plate, or changing their shape or details: ..................................... one point
Refraining from giving driving licence to traffic police:. one point
Trucks violating the load conditions:............. one point
Trucks violating the width, length, or weight regulations of the vehicle: .................................... one point
Driving a technically unsafe vehicle: ........... one point
Using lights, horns, microphones, or other machines against the law: ............................... one point
Disobeying traffic signs: ....................... one point