I could not believe my eyes when I recently looked a list of fines imposed by the Traffic Department on violators of traffic rules and regulations.
The list includes fines from SR500 to SR900 with many figures between. Our friends in the department seem to have lost sight of the fact that the oil boom days are over and that we are now living in a different time. Today Saudis are working in a variety of jobs — in restaurants, supermarkets, telephone cabins and retail sales.
What is the point of imposing a SR900 fine for driving without a license, speeding or making a wrong turn? By the way, this is the identical punishment given to people found driving under the influence of alcohol.
What is the point behind fines of SR500 for speeding, driving with an expired license or without tail lights? Why is the punishment for honking or parking incorrectly SR300?
With many drawing monthly salaries of SR2,000 or SR3,000, this means a violator has to work two or three months in order to settle a traffic fine.
And why equate a serious violation such as driving under the influence of alcohol with a trivial one such as making a wrong turn?
I wish the department would come up with a more efficient system in which the time between reporting the violation and paying the fine is reduced. In many cases, motorists only discover they have a violation when going to renew a license or a registration.
It is wrong to assume that deterrence can be achieved by imposing heavy fines on violators. This did not bring down the number of violations in the past and will not in the future. This list of fines should be revised.
We are not living in the past and many of our young people are either unemployed or working for low salaries. Responding to offenses should serve as a deterrent and not simply as a means of collecting money.
Arab News From the Local Press 24 November 2002
