The police said the Jeddah summary court, which the violators were sent to, issued the verdicts. They added that under the law, the drivers would also be sentenced to various jail terms.

“The DUI drivers are a real threat to other road users and sober car drivers. They are a main cause of traffic congestion as they are not focused,” said Brig. Muhammad Al-Qahtani, director of traffic in Jeddah.

He threatened such drivers with harsher punishments and said repeat offenses would lead to a permanent withdrawal of their driving licenses.

According to traffic laws, a driver who collects 24 points on their driving licenses in a single Hijri year would have his driving license initially withdrawn for three months. Repeat offenses would lead to driving bans of six months, a year and eventually a lifetime ban for each successive misdemeanor.

The Interior Ministry has recently introduced amendments to rules governing the granting of driving licenses.

Any applicant previously convicted of assault, fraud, drugs abuse and trafficking or manufacturing of drugs or alcohol will not be granted a driving license to operate trucks or heavy machinery.