قانوني لـ «عكاظ»: المادة 74 تشمل قيادة المركبة تحت تأثير المسكر وقطع الإشارة

The legal advisor, Obaid Al-Ayafi, revealed to "Okaz" that the text of Article 74 of the Traffic Law includes several violations that pose a danger to public safety. These include exceeding the speed limit by more than 30 km/h on roads with a limit of 140 km/h, and exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 km/h if the speed limit on the road is 120 km/h or less. It also includes violations related to driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or medications that warn against driving under their influence, performing road works without coordinating with the relevant authority, and running a red traffic light.

Al-Ayafi added that the article includes driving a vehicle in the opposite direction of traffic, exceeding the allowed dimensions for loads transported by heavy vehicles, overtaking in areas where overtaking is prohibited, such as curves and elevations, and violating passenger transport in non-designated areas. The recurrence of the violation is counted on the second and third occasions from the date of the first violation.

Recurrence is considered if the repeated violation is the same as the violations committed previously. In the case of repeating a violation that poses a danger to public safety for the second time within a year, it is raised to the maximum limit.

Lawyer Al-Ayafi confirmed that the article stipulated that the violator, upon repeating the violation for the third time within the same year, is referred to the competent court. The referral to the competent court includes details of the violations affecting public safety in terms of their type, date, place of occurrence, evidence of the recurrence of the violation, information about the driver, and their contact details, as well as specifying the type of penalty to be applied.

The relevant authority will notify the violator by means it deems appropriate that the case has been referred to the competent court to request the tightening of the penalty against them in preparation for their appearance before it if necessary.

The Ministry of Interior announced the issuance of a decree amending Article (74) of the Traffic Law, as part of efforts to enhance public safety on the roads. The General Directorate of Traffic confirmed that the amended article relates to traffic violations that pose a danger to public safety, and work is currently underway to amend the executive regulations of the article to align with the new amendments.

The Ministry of Interior announced the amendment of Article 74 of the Traffic Law, and the amendment stipulates the imposition of stricter penalties, including imprisonment for up to one year and deportation for residents.

When is a resident deported?

The article, after its amendment, stipulated the imposition of the maximum fine when committing a violation that poses a danger to public safety for the second time within a year from the date of the first violation. If committed for the third time within the same year, the violator is referred to the competent court to consider applying a prison sentence not exceeding one year, unless the court sees fit to double the fine imposed for the violation on the second occasion.

The amendment granted the Ministry of Interior the authority, regarding non-Saudis, that if a final conviction is issued for committing a violation that poses a danger to public safety, the person may be deported from the Kingdom and prohibited from re-entering, in accordance with regulations set by the Ministry of Interior in coordination with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Justice, and the Public Prosecution.