Reward Ideal drivers: MP

Manama : In an effort to encourage people adher to traffic rules, a parliamentarian has called for “rewarding” drivers who don’t commit  traffic offences.

During the weekly meeting of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, MP Dr. Ali Bufersen urged the government to exempt ideal drivers from paying the annual registration fees of their vehicles as an encouragement to promote good road behaviour and excellent driving habits.

“There are drivers very much committed on the road that they don’t even cross the speed barrier of 60KMH,”  Buferesen said during the session. 

“We need to reward such drivers who adher to traffic laws and regulations in order to encourage good driving habits. Drivers who spend a year without committing any traffic violations should be exempt from paying the annual vehicle registration fees,” Buferesen said.

Speaking more about his idea to DT News, the parliamentarian stressed that  rewarding drivers would encourage better road behaviour, commitment and discipline, thus reducing traffic accidents.

“There are big amounts of fines and fees paid to the General Directorate of Traffic. These amounts are sufficient to cover the directorate’s expenses. Exempting good drivers from paying fees wouldn’t affect its budget much. It should actually pay back to reduce the number of fatalities, injuries and damages caused by road accidents, in addition to increasing safety measures on the roads,” Dr. Bufersen said.

“Rewards encourage good values and behaviour among  students. It would work with drivers the same way it does with students,” said the MP who was once a public school principal.

Dr. Bufersen pledged that his idea would soon be presented as a parliamentary proposal to be implemented in the future as part of encouraging drivers to reduce traffic accidents. 

“These drivers should be given a variety of rewards, that include exempting them from paying the fees for vehicles’ registration and driver’s license renewal, as well as honouring them in local media platforms as an appreciation to their commitment to better road behaviour,”  he added.