The new traffic law in Saudi Arabia will come into effect as of May 20, when its implementation bylaws are expected to be endorsed by Minister of Interior Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz. According to Major General Fahd Al-Bishr, Director General of the Saudi Traffic Administration, the new law features new provisions and penalties, such as sanctions for hot-rodding, using mobile phones while driving, throwing objects out of vehicles while in motion and failing to insure vehicles. The new law also sets up a system in which points are assigned to drivers upon each violation. Once a preset number of points is exceeded, the concerned driver's license would be revoked. The law also allows the Traffic Administration to authorize other departments to control traffic violations. Furthermore, the new law has delegated courts the power to administer prison sentences, while allowing defendants to appeal cases before the same courts within a set period of time. Private-vehicle driver's licenses would be valid for ten years instead of five, while all other types of licenses would still expire after five years. Bishr added that the new law would be adequately flexible to keep up with new developments in the field of traffic. Penalties for violations posing a hazard to public safety will be maximized, and a number of acts that did not constitute a violation in the previous law have been added to the new one. Bishr added that a higher traffic council would be established to act as the supreme authority commissioned with overseeing traffic-related issues. The new traffic law was drafted by the Public Security Authority (the Central Traffic Department), the Ministry of Transport, the Security Committee at the Shoura Council, the Experts Panel at the Council of Ministers, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (Traffic Safety Committee), and the committee commissioned with following up on the recommendations of the first and second traffic safety conferences.
