RIYADH — A special 25 percent discount in the payment of fines for traffic violations, announced by the General Department of Traffic last Thursday, will not cover certain categories of violations including traffic accidents caused by overtaking and speeding. The Department clarified this through its account on the X social media platform. These violations also include drifting; establishing or operating driving schools without a license; violations related to vehicle's weights, dimensions, and periodic inspection; workshop violations, driving after confiscation of driver's license or vehicle's registration license (istimara); violations related to issuing international driving license; acts of selling and dismantling vehicles outside the Kingdom, in addition to violations related to vehicle showrooms. The 25 percent special discount came into force along with the Traffic Department's implementation of a royal directive that mandates a 50 percent reduction in accumulated traffic fines, effective from last Thursday, April 18. The Traffic Department revealed that article 75 of the Traffic Law will be applied to violations committed from April 18 onwards, offering a 25 percent reduction on single violations. Article 75 mandates imprisonment of the violator, seizure of vehicle and enforcement of the traffic penalties if the fine is not paid after the objection period and the expiry of the legally stipulated payment deadline. The Traffic Department started implementing a 50 percent reduction in accumulated traffic fines in line with the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. The reduction covers all violations committed before April 18, 2024 provided that all accumulated traffic fines must be settled within six months starting from April 18 until October 18, 2024 so as to benefit from this reduction. The discount allows the payment of fines either in one lump sum or separately for each violation. This landmark initiative is designed to alleviate the financial burden on citizens, expatriates, visitors, and GCC nationals by reducing penalties for all violations recorded up to the day before the reduction period begins. According to the royal decree, enforced by the Ministry of Interior, committing any of four specific violations during the reduction period would disqualify offenders from receiving the discount. These violations are drifting, driving under the influence of drugs or banned substances, exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 km/h on roads with a speed limit of 120 km/h, or by more than 30 km/h on roads with a speed limit of 140 km/h.
