RIYADH: A Shoura Council member has called for the scrapping of a traffic regulation that allows for a fine to be doubled if an offender pays late, arguing that his proposal is in line with a fatwa passed by the country's Grand Mufti. The member also suggested amending article 41 of the traffic police regulations concerning the duration of private driving licenses, and to lower the annual fees from SR40 to SR20. The member, Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Enad, said his first suggestion was based on a fatwa by Sheikh Abdul Aziz Aal Al-Sheikh, the country's Grand Mufti, who stated that “doubling the traffic violation fine is usury” and it should not be implemented at all even if it prevented people from committing traffic violations. Al-Enad also cited a statement from Abdul Muhsin Al-Obaikan, the Royal Court Advisor, that “many of those who commit traffic violations suffer from poverty and debt. People must be treated with mercy and not burdened with what they cannot bear”. Al-Enad also suggested the periods of private licenses and motorcycle driving licenses be amended from the current 10 years for private licenses and five years for motorcycle licenses, to a period “from five to 10 years” for both types of licenses. He said “many expatriate drivers and workers in the country need the license for less than 10 years because they do not stay in the country that long. Meanwhile, the sponsor bears the [cost of the] annual fees for 10 years”. “The amendment allows a license seeker to choose between the two periods,” he said.
