KUWAIT CITY, Jan 28: Brigadier Mohammed Al-Subhan from the General Traffic Department says the recent amendments to the traffic law differentiate between reconciliation orders and court referrals for serious violations. The department will accept reconciliation and payment for violations directly at the General Traffic Department. However, violators who commit multiple serious offenses will be referred to court. In an interview with Al-Akhbar Channel, Brigadier Al-Subhan explained that serious violations referred to court will carry fines ranging from KD 600 to KD 1,000, with prison sentences ranging from one to three years. For example, a reconciliation order for running a red light costs KD 150, but if the case is referred to court, the fine will not be less than KD 600.

Serious violations include reckless driving, racing, negligent driving, running a red light, driving in the opposite direction on highways or ring roads, and driving “backwards.” Previously, the fine used to be KD 5 but it is now set at KD 150. If a settlement cannot be reached at the Traffic Department, the case will be referred to court. In a related development, the Security Media Department of the Ministry of Interior announced that, in line with the Directorate General of Security Relations and Media’s commitment to delivering awareness messages to all segments of society, six key languages have been included in its comprehensive campaign to raise awareness about the new amendments to the traffic law - English, Persian, Hindi, Bengali, Urdu, and Tagalog.

The campaign aims to promote traffic and legal awareness, clarify the amended provisions of the Traffic Law, and contribute to enhancing traffic safety and compliance with regulations. This is part of the ministry’s plan to reduce traffic accidents and create a safer traffic environment. The ministry affirmed that the campaign will use a variety of traditional media outlets and social media platforms, and visual and auditory awareness materials will be distributed in multiple languages. This reflects the ministry’s commitment to providing a comprehensive legal environment that embraces Kuwait’s cultural and linguistic diversity.