Deportation eyed for 5-in-5 ‘serious’ traffic violations

The Undersecretary for Traffic Affairs at the Ministry of Interior, Major-General Fahd Al-Shuwea has submitted a proposal to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid Al-Jarrah according to which any expatriate who commits five serious violations within five years will be deported from the country, reports Al-Anba daily quoting a senior security source.

The daily added, when a person commits the fifth violation, the computer system will automatically prevent the person from renewing his residence permit. The man will be arrested and deported. The source pointed out the proposal includes a clause which calls for dropping violations if they are less than five within five years and continue the count anew.

The source enumerated the serious violations as not fastening the seat belt, use of mobile phone while driving, parking on pavement and blocking pedestrian passageway and obstructing traffic.

The source added the new proposal is still under study by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and subjected to legal studies by specialists.

The source pointed out this proposal was submitted after the traffic sector noticed great deal of indifference on the part of the expatriates to the extent some of them committed at least five serious traffic violations each year which means they do not respect the law and therefore deterrent measures must be taken against them.

The sources confirmed once the decision is taken by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, the violations will be linked to the General Department of Residence Affairs so that no person commits 5 serious violations within 5 years and remains in the country.

The sources pointed out the proposal, when approved, will apply to all expatriates without discrimination. The violator will be deported even if he/she is acquitted by the judiciary. The source added the only authority which can do away with the violation is the investigation department after finding the violation was registered against the expatriate by mistake or if it was a clear case of abuse of authority.

The source said in this case, once the decision is issued, those who commit 5 serious violations within five years shall be deported, unless he/she is wanted in other cases that prevent the departure from the country.