KUWAIT: Traffic offenses registered by cameras dived by a massive 83 percent in May this year compared to May last year as a result of implementing the new traffic law with stiffer penalties, the interior ministry said on Monday. Deaths were down by 55 percent and offenses of using mobile phones while driving and failure to buckle up were down by 75 percent, the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said cameras registered 28,464 traffic offenses in May this year compared to as many as 168,208 violations in the corresponding month last year. These offenses included speeding and running the red traffic light. There were just 10 deaths as a result of traffic accidents this May compared to 22 deaths in May 2024, a 55-percent decline, the ministry said.
Cameras also recorded just 22,574 offenses of failing to use the seatbelt and using mobile phones while driving last month, while 89,153 such offenses were recorded in May last year, a drop of 75 percent, the ministry statement said. The interior ministry hailed the outcome as a positive indication of implementing the new traffic law, which stipulates harsh penalties and fines that could reach as high as KD 5,000. Fines for all traffic offenses have been increased manifold and several serious offenses could send motorists to jail.
