A HEATED debate erupted in Parliament yesterday over a proposed amendment to the 2014 Traffic Law that would allow violators to halve their fines if they pay within 30 days, instead of the current seven-day grace period.
The amendment – approved by Parliament earlier but rejected by the Shura Council last month – has now been referred back to the upper chamber for a second vote.
If the Shura Council rejects it again, the proposal will be permanently shelved.
Officials and several MPs strongly opposed the extension, warning that it could weaken deterrence and compromise road safety.
Traffic Directorate traffic culture director Major Khalid Buqais said the primary goal of the law was to correct driving behaviour and enhance public safety, not to facilitate violators.
He pointed out that the existing seven-day grace period already serves as an incentive for quick payment.
Maj Buqais also stressed that the government did not view fines as a source of revenue.
“We are not seeking financial gain from fines; we seek compliance and safety,” he said.
“Instead of sympathising with violators, we should consider the lives lost and rights violated on our roads.”
MP Jalal Kadhem Al Mahfoodh described the proposal as “a dangerous relaxation of deterrence measures”.
“Facilitating violations is disregard for the law and harm to society,” he said.
“The purpose of traffic laws is to protect lives and property, not to make things easier for violators. Law-abiding citizens should not be placed on equal footing with reckless drivers.”
He noted that illegal parking in disabled spaces, blocking access to mosques and shops and using mobile phones while driving are widespread and often endanger lives.
He warned that extending the grace period to 30 days would “encourage complacency and non-compliance”, calling instead to reduce it to just 48 hours to strengthen accountability.
He also pointed out that the seven-day half-fine system is applied across GCC countries for regional offences.
“If Bahrain extends it to 30 days, it would become the odd one out in the region,” he cautioned.
However, Parliament’s foreign affairs, defence and national security committee chairman Hassan Bukhammas argued that the proposal did not cancel punishment, but merely granted additional time for payment of fines.
“The amendment doesn’t exempt anyone from penalties; it just extends the payment period,” he said.
* MPs yesterday also reviewed a letter from His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, on a mutual taxation agreement with the Government of Jersey, and referring it to the concerned committees for review.
Separately, MPs rejected a request by services committee vice-chairman Abdulwahid Qarata to reinstate his offensive comments against Parliament’s financial and economic affairs committee chairman Ahmed Al Salloom during last week’s session which were struck from the records by Speaker Ahmed Al Musallam.
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