MANAMA, 7 July — Tourism has picked up in Bahrain for the summer months and many GCC nationals are discovering that the activities of the Bahraini police have increased dramatically, too. Since the police are completely within their legal rights, there is nothing for tourists to do except drive cautiously on Bahrain’s roads and be aware that the Bahraini police are tightly enforcing all traffic regulations. Despite the high tariff, it might also be wise for tourists to use taxis at night rather than private vehicles, as many roads in Bahrain become hazardous after sunset.
The Bahraini police have set up speed traps both coming from and going to the King Fahd Causeway. Being above the speed limit by as little as 5 km can result in a fine. Since the speed limit changes several times in a space of just a few kilometers in the Causeway area, it is important that drivers watch the road signs carefully. All traffic fines for speeding — usually at least a sum of SR250 — must be paid on the spot in cash. Coming into Bahrain this is generally not a problem because most GCC tourists are flush with cash. But on the way out of the country it is resulting in crises. Drivers are being forced to return to ATM machines in town, beg cash from others, or even end up stuck in Bahrain until they can find a way to pay their traffic fines.
The penalty for driving under the influence of alcohol is now SR1,000 for a first offense, and a fine and six months in prison for a second offense. On Friday night one Saudi was desperately trying to reason with the Bahraini authorities on the Causeway that his car had not been involved in any accident and he had not been driving under the influence of alcohol. He showed the police his vehicle, which was in perfect condition. However, his license plate number had been registered in the Bahraini police computer system and all his protests were useless. After six hours he was taken to a police station where he agreed to pay SR1,000 so he could go home.
But these are not the worst road crises befalling GCC nationals and GCC residents in Bahrain. All drivers entering Bahrain are charged SR15 for third-party insurance, unless they can prove that they have insurance valid in Bahrain. Many families mistakenly believe that this insurance will cover their vehicle for the duration of their stay in Bahrain, but this is a misconception. Purchasing SR15 worth of insurance covers a vehicle for three days or 72 hours only. It is the minimum amount of insurance that can be purchased. Anyone taking a vehicle into Bahrain should purchase enough days of insurance at the insurance kiosk on the Causeway to cover their entire stay in the country. Not doing so could result in catastrophe.
For example, on Friday night a third country national with residency in Saudi Arabia had a minor accident in Bahrain. He had entered the country on Monday for a long weekend, not realizing that the SR15 he paid for insurance would not cover him for the duration of his stay. After the accident, he was held by the Bahraini police. They did not hold the other party in the accident — a Bahraini driver. Surprisingly, even though the Bahraini driver was given a fine for driving without lights at night, the Saudi resident discovered that he had been assessed with 100 percent of the damages in the accident. Eventually his Saudi sponsor had to come across the Causeway to help get him released.
The Saudi sponsor was willing to pay the full damages, but the Bahraini vehicle could not be located as it had been released before damages to it had been assessed. Eventually, 6 hours after the accident, the Bahraini driver was found and the damages were assessed. The total cost of the damages to the Bahraini vehicle was SR400, which were paid immediately. The Saudi resident also had to pay SR100 for the accident report and another SR60 for a copy of the accident report to present to the workshop in Saudi Arabia in order to allow the Saudi vehicle to be repaired.
Despite 8 hours of misery on Friday night, the Saudi resident and his sponsor were lucky to complete the formalities and be able to return home. In most cases where an uninsured vehicle is involved in an accident in Bahrain, it is necessary to find a Bahraini willing to guarantee that all damages caused by the accident will be covered. If such a sponsor cannot be found, then the responsible driver and his vehicle will be held in Bahrain until the matter is settled.
