As a part of the keenness of the Ministry of Interior to ensure road safety, the traffic law No. 19 of the year 2007 is introducing a demerit points system which will help to ensure safe driving and to reduce traffic related accidents, deaths and many casualties every year. The point system will serve as a preventive tool to enhance safe driving by curbing the growing number of accidents and reckless driving. Drivers convicted of certain driving-related offences will have demerit points recorded on their records. Below is a table outlining the demerit points for driving offences:
| No. | Type of violation | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Running an automatic or manually activated red light. | 7 |
| 2 | Driving in the wrong ( opposite) direction. | 6 |
| 3 | Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs or any other mental stimulant. | 6 |
| 4 | Exceeding the maximum speed limit. | 4 |
| 5 | Driving recklessly or dangerously or in a way that harms life and public property. | 4 |
| 6 | Driving a vehicle without brake or with faulty brakes or one faulty brake or with an unusable brake. | 4 |
| 7 | Driving with inappropriate license. | 3 |
| 8 | Driving with suspended or invalid license. | 3 |
| 9 | Violating customs and norms of public morality inside the vehicle or allowing some body to do so. | 3 |
| 10 | Driving a non registered vehicle. | 3 |
| 11 | Driving a vehicle without number plates. | 3 |
| 12 | Driving a vehicle with a number plate issued by the authority but changes have been made in numbers or with a number plate which is not issued from authority on which the original or fake numbers have been printed. | 3 |
| 13 | Using a vehicle against its purpose. | 3 |
| 14 | Driving a vehicle which emits noisy sounds. | 3 |
| 15 | Providing wrong information intentionally to pass the technical inspection or to earn a license or a temporary license, or getting a replacement for the lost license. | 3 |
| 16 |
Blocking or deactivating the flow of traffic in the public roads intentionally. – Driving in an unusual slowness which may block the traffic flow without any reasonable cause (Article 53, Para 45). – Moving a vehicle or making any hindrance to traffic movement or blocking it after opening the traffic light ( Article 72, Para 3). |
3 |
| 17 | Driving a vehicle emitting dense fume or causing bad smoke. | 3 |
| 18 | Driving a vehicle which drops loads that can endanger the public safety . | 3 |
| 19 | Driving on the pavement. | 3 |
| 20 |
Making a turn or round or U-turn against the traffic movement flow. – Driving in opposite direction. – Driving to behind on the main road (except emergency). |
3 |
| 21 | Giving the vehicle to someone does not have a license, or have another categorized license or any other permit issued by the authority. | 2 |
| 22 | Driving a vehicle that leaks inflammable materials or harms the public health or environment or damages the road. | 3 |
| 23 | Change a vital part of the vehicle without a written permission from the authority. | 3 |
| 24 |
Driving a vehicle with one number plate, or changing plate’s place or color or shape issued from the authority. – Not fixing 2 number plates on the vehicle (Para 1). – Not fixing 2 number plates which are excepted from registration (Para 2). – Making changes in the place or color or shape of the number plates or exchanging it or lending it. |
1 |
| 25 | Driving a vehicle with unclear or unreadable number plates. | 2 |
| 26 | Refraining from giving driving license or registration card or any related document issued by the traffic department to traffic police. | 1 |
| 27 |
Trucks violating the load regulations. Trucks violating the vehicle’s weight and dimensions’ standards in width, height and weight. – Exceeding height of load on the vehicle or things appearing from the load longer than 4.2 meter from the road level without written permission from the concerned authority (Para 1). – Exceeding width of load on the vehicle or things appearing from the load wider than 2.6 meter without written permission from the concerned authority (Para 2).Para 3 : – Increasing the maximum load limit for single axle than 13 tons. – Increasing the permitted maximum load limit for duple axle without written permission from concerned authority. – Increasing the total weight of the vehicle more than the permitted load without written permission from concerned authority. |
1 |
| 28 |
– Load extension to the front side of the vehicle for more than one meter, or to back side for more than 2 meters from the body of the vehicle without written permission from concerned authority ( Para 4). – Not holding a written permission from the concerned authority to transport materials which cannot be parted while its length will be more than permitted (Para 5). – Not using clear red signs on the sides of the load for alerting others ( Para 6). – Making extensions on load boxes of the trucks to carry more by width, length or height ( Para 7). – Not writing down the permitted load capacity and the number of passengers on the body of the vehicle which its load capacity (net weight) is 3 tons or more ( Para 8). |
1 |
| 29 | Driving a technically unsafe vehicle (as a result of an accident) | 1 |
| 30 |
Using lights, horns, loud speakers or any other unauthorized machines. Driving a vehicle which is not equipped with horn ( Para 1). – Drivers Using horns except when facing an imminent danger (Para 2). – Fixing or using air horns or musical horns ( Para 3). – Fixing or using horns or light systems which are prescribed only for police, civil defense or ambulance vehicles without written permission from the concerned authority. |
1 |
| 31 | Disobeying traffic signs or ground lines. | 1 |
The owner of the vehicle, the holder or the manager will be responsible for any violation according to this law. Unless the owner proves with eligible evidences that the vehicle was not in his custody at the time of the violation and the vehicle was in the custody of another person.
Please adhere (stuck) to traffic rules and regulations, and always remember that the driving license will be suspended according to the points of traffic violations. The list of points is as follow:-
| No. | Times of violation | No. of negative points | Driving license suspension period |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | First Time | 14 Points | 3 Months |
| 2 | 2nd Time | 12 Points | 6 Months |
| 3 | 3rd Time | 10 Points | 9 Months |
| 4 | 4th Time | 8 Points | 1 Year |
| 5 | 5th Time | 6 Points | he license will be suspended ultimately. And in this case, a new driving license shall be issued only after passing a new driving test according to the law article No. (31) on ” Conditions to provide the driving license for the first time” after one year of suspension as a minimum period. |
Please be informed that the points will be automatically deleted in the following two conditions:-
1) If the license was suspended according to the above table.
2) when the driver don’t commit any traffic violation for a year from revoking his license.
3) In all conditions, times of suspension of the license will be reviewed whenever it is required.
Please remember the article No.(27) of the traffic law which refers to:- Owner of the vehicle should report the concerned authority on any change occurs on his name, nationality, ID number, place of stay or address within 10 days from the date of change. So please get confirmed that your address in the traffic department is correct and don’t miss registering in “Metrash” service which reminds you of your personal information continuously.