Shura to vote on tougher traffic penalties, penal code changes and criminal procedure

TDT | Manama

Three major decree-laws on traffic offences, the Penal Code, and criminal procedure will go before the Shura Council today, with a committee recommending approval of all three.

Members will discuss reports from the Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee on:

• Decree-Law No. 30 of 2025 amending the Traffic Law,

• Decree-Law No. 31 of 2025 amending the Penal Code, and

• Decree-Law No. 32 of 2025 amending the Code of Criminal Procedure.

The committee says this set of laws is intended to improve road safety, tighten discipline on the roads, reduce repeat violations, and deter reckless driving.

Rules

The decree-law on the Traffic Law updates regulations to reflect urban, economic, and population growth, especially as road networks expand and the number of vehicles and drivers increases.

The committee notes that the amendments raise jail terms and fines to strengthen deterrence.
It highlights a rise in dangerous behaviour in recent years, including:

• excessive speeding,

• overtaking where banned,

• driving against traffic,

• driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs,

• using a phone while driving, and

• failing to wear a seat belt.

Provisions

The Penal Code decree-law aims to reinforce the protection of life and bodily safety, applying equal penalties to similar acts.

According to the committee, these updates help ensure clearer legal treatment of wrongful, non-intentional killing and injury cases, supporting consistency in court rulings.

The criminal procedure decree-law updates case-handling rules to align with the revised provisions in both the Traffic Law and Penal Code.

The committee says this preserves the use of criminal orders as a means to settle simple cases early, easing the burden on courts while maintaining fair-trial guarantees.

The Council will also be notified of a question sent to the Minister of Health by member Nancy Eili Khadouri, regarding the right of a non-Bahraini widow of a Bahraini citizen to maintain access to health insurance services after her husband’s death — along with the minister’s response.