JEDDAH: Authorities have approved a proposal to extend the validity of vehicle licenses (istimara) to 10 years for a fee of SR400, Maj. Gen. Fahd Al-Bishr, director general of the Traffic Department, announced yesterday.
“The new traffic law has also specified that the (validity of) driving licenses for motorbikes will be 10 years while those for other types of vehicles will be for five years,” Al-Bishr said.
The validity of international and foreign driving licenses will be one year from the date of entry into the Kingdom by their holders.
“In accordance with the new law, those who throw cigarettes and garbage onto roads from vehicles will be fined in order to stop such unsound practices,” the traffic chief said. However, he pointed out that the new law is more flexible than the old one.
He said the new traffic law, which was passed by the Council of Ministers last year, would help reduce road accidents in the country. During the last five years, traffic departments have registered more than 1.36 million accidents causing the deaths of 21,900 people and injuries to 122,600 others. Every minute at least 11 traffic violations take place in the Kingdom. Annual material losses from road accidents are estimated at SR21 billion.
The new law mandates tough punishment for joy riders and denies a driving license to those convicted of taking or dealing in drugs.
Making mobile phone calls, reading newspapers or holding small children in laps while driving are punishable under the new law. Violators will be fined up to SR500 for these offenses, Al-Bishr said.
Under the new law, a points system for traffic violations will be introduced, he said, adding that if the points exceed the limit, the driver’s license would be withdrawn for four months to one year or once and for all and the driver sent to a driving school.
Al-Bishr emphasized the need to implement the law strictly in order to stop reckless drivers.
