Half-fine traffic deal hits another roadblock in Shura

TDT | Manama

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A proposal allowing traffic offenders to settle violations by paying half the minimum fine within 30 days has returned to the Shura Council, but a key committee is urging members to block it once again.

The Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee has recommended that the chamber uphold its earlier decision to reject the draft law in principle, ahead of a scheduled discussion on Sunday.

The move follows a renewed vote in the Council of Representatives on November 11, 2025, when MPs reaffirmed their support for the amendment and referred it back to the upper chamber under Article 84 of the Constitution.

The draft seeks to amend Article 56 of the Traffic Law by introducing a single settlement rule under which offenders who accept a compromise would pay an amount equal to half the minimum fine within 30 days of the offer.

The committee noted that Article 56 already permits settlement for a specified list of traffic offences, allowing the General Directorate of Traffic to close cases before they reach the Public Prosecution. Under the current law, a reduced settlement amount is linked to payment within seven days, creating an incentive for early compliance.

It warned that removing the seven-day provision and replacing it with a uniform 30-day window would weaken this incentive.

The committee also pointed to Decree-Law No. 30 of 2025, which amended the same law and increased fines, adding new offences to the list eligible for settlement. It said the proposed amendment would not align well with those recent changes.

In its report, the committee stressed the need for penalties to remain proportionate to offences, noting that fines serve as a deterrent against repeat violations and dangerous driving that can result in serious injury or death.

The Shura Council had previously rejected the draft at its April 13, 2025 session, but the elected chamber’s insistence has brought it back for reconsideration.