JEDDAH, 9 January 2005 — Most Traffic Department officials seem to be unaware of the new vehicle registration card and ownership card issued by their own department. Motorists who carry the new cards have complained of harassment by traffic police who stop and seize their vehicles.
The two-part new vehicle registration card replaces the old one. One card deals with vehicle registration that gives information about the car — its type and license plate number, the number given by the carmaker, year of make and weight of the car. This card is to be left inside the car while it is in use. The ownership card gives information about the owner and car model number.
Obaid Madani, a car owner, said his car driven by his driver was seized by police in Makkah at a checkpoint. The driver was also detained because the traffic officials were not familiar with the new card issued by their own department. When Obaid went to the police station seeking an explanation, they insisted on seeing the old registration card before releasing the car. The police simply had no idea that a new card existed.
Saad Al-Harbi criticized the new card saying that car details written by hand could be easily forged. “Why can’t the Traffic Department issue computer-printed cards instead of handwritten ones?” he asks.
Naushad Shameem said: “The police officer at the Traffic Department made a grave mistake when I renewed the expiry date in my vehicle registration card. The card ended on 1-9-1425 and it was supposed to be renewed to 1-9-1428. Instead the traffic officer made a mistake and wrote the expiry date as 1-9-1425. When I went back to the Traffic Department, the police officer noticed the mistake and he corrected it by writing over the old one. This is a clear indication that this card can be easily forged. The Traffic Department should make computer-printed cards instead of writing in hand.”
Abdul Jabbar Abdul Jaleel, however, feels the new card is very good and can be carried in the wallet. “But what is the use of this card if police officers, who issued the card, do not recognize it? I suggest that an awareness campaign be conducted for police officers before distributing the card to motorists.”
