Saudi Arabia: Grace period for 50% traffic fine discount ends on October 8
The Ministry of the Interior has announced that a six-month grace period will end on Friday, October 18, allowing a 50% reduction on accrued traffic penalties.
The General Directorate of Traffic is carrying out this project in accordance with the directives of King Salman, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman. On April 18, the show debuted.
The fines include any traffic violations committed before April 18, 2024, Drivers have to settle their unpaid fines within the six-month grace period, from April 18 to October 18, 2024, in order to gain from this significant discount. For each infraction, this program allows individuals to pay their penalties either as one payment or in installments.
By lowering the penalties for all infractions recorded up to the day before the reduction period started, this historic policy seeks to relieve the financial load on citizens, expats, visitors, and nationals from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Apart from the 50% discount, the Traffic Directorate said Article 75 of the Traffic Law will apply to offenses happening after April 18, 2024, therefore providing a 25% discount on single violations, Article 75 states that should fines remain unpaid once the objection period and the legally mandated payment deadline passes, offenders may be subject to imprisonment and other penalties.
The Efaa platform and the SADAD payment system help to automatically handle traffic infractions payments. The Directorate has warned the public against interacting with any dubious links, phone calls, or websites claiming to provide these services since they can be bogus.
The royal edict issued by the Ministry of Interior states that offenders who commit any one of four particular breaches during the grace period would not be eligible for the reduction. Among the offenses that could result in disqualification are drifting, driving under the influence of narcotics or restricted substances, exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 km/h on highways designated with a speed limit of 120km/h, or by more than 30 km/h on roads having a speed limit of 140km/h.
Motorists have become rather interested in this project and have participated greatly; many have used the chance to pay their outstanding penalties at a discount. The good reaction of the traffic authority suggests that the campaign has successfully promoted adherence to traffic rules and regulations.
Many people are anticipated to rush to pay their fines to get the discount as the grace period ends, The execution of this initiative shows the government's will to guarantee that drivers follow traffic rules and increase road safety while also considering the financial constraints that citizens suffer.
All things considered, this program shows a fair approach to traffic law enforcement by balancing the necessity of financial relief with the execution of road safety precautions, The Ministry of Interior seeks to create a culture of responsibility among drivers by offering major incentives for compliance, therefore guaranteeing that the roads remain safe for all users.
To maximize this grace period as the October 18 deadline draws near, those facing exceptional traffic fines must act fast. Apart from relieving financial burden, the program promotes better driving habits, which eventually helps to create a more safe driving scene in the area. The government expects a good change in road user behavior that benefits everyone in the society as continuous efforts to improve traffic safety help to do.