The new traffic law not only provides for delayed detentions in the case of traffic violations, it also allows offenders a degree of leeway in selecting the days they wish to be incarcerated. Although the suspension of any penalties requires approval from the court responsible for a sentence, according to Major General Fahd Bin Saud Al-Beshr, Director General of Traffic Administration, the new law allows offenders to choose the days of their jail terms. “Under the new law there is be no detention with immediate effect,” Al-Beshr said. “According to the law, a traffic policeman only registers the offense, and when he enters it into the computer, the gravity of the offense will be decided, and violators will be informed of the procedures that will be taken against them,” he said. The new law gives offenders not only a choice of time, but also a say in the place where they would prefer to spend their time in jail, even giving them the liberty to choose a different town to the one where the actual sentence was passed. Joy-riding clampdown “In response to the growing problem of young Saudis joy-riding,” Al-Beshr continued, “and the arbitrary way it was previously punished due to a lack of codified punishment, joy driving will now result automatically in up to one year in prison or a minimum SR1,000 fine. This is in addition to any of the so-called “private rights” that victims can seek.” Points mean punishments In the new system offenses carry point values. If a driver accumulates more than 96 violation points in a Hijra year, he loses his license and is required to retake the driving test. Offenders who accumulate a number of points will receive temporary suspensions. For example, when a driver incurs 24 points his license is suspended for three months. Private rights may include reimbursement for damages, including blood money if any deaths occur. “First time offenders caught joy-riding,” Al-Beshr said, “will receive a minimum SR1,000 fine, with their vehicles impounded for 15 days, at additional cost.” Second time offenders will face a minimum SR1,500 fine and/or possible jail time as well as having their cars impounded, while third time offenders will be fined SR2,000 with an increased probability of jail. Authorities will also seize the vehicles of third time offenders. Additional punishments will be administered to joy riders driving stolen or rented vehicles. Failing to inform the authorities if there were injuries involved in an accident would be considered a crime in the new law, Al-Beshr said. Doing so will result in an automatic SR2,000 fine or up to three months in jail. – Okaz __
