A senior legislator yesterday urged the Interior Ministry to take tougher and more visible action to restore law and order on Bahrain’s roads, alleging that the revised Traffic Law has failed to deter reckless driving.
Parliament first deputy speaker MP Abdulnabi Salman said the stricter Traffic Law – which came into effect last year following a fatal accident that led to the death of three members of a Bahraini family and left two with permanent injuries – was not delivering the intended results.
“The law was toughened after a tragedy, yet another family has now lost their lives because of reckless driving by an irresponsible individual,” Mr Salman said. “This shows clearly that the law alone is not serving its purpose.”
He stressed that without strict and continuous monitoring, fatal violations would persist.
“Reckless drivers will continue to violate the law unless enforcement is applied to its fullest extent,” he said.
Mr Salman also highlighted safety concerns in popular areas, including the Sakhir camping zone, which attracts large crowds every weekend.
“The Sakhir camping area sees an average of 25,000 visitors over the weekend, yet there are no proper roads and no effective police presence,” he said, adding that it’s ‘a recipe for disaster.”
He criticised habitual offenders who repeatedly violate traffic laws despite paying heavy fines.
“Some people will continue to break the law – whether the fine is BD1,000 or BD1 million,” he said. “They need to face tougher consequences to set an example. Road safety is not optional.”
Parliament and Shura Council Affairs Minister Ghanim Al Buainain defended the Interior Ministry’s efforts, insisting that enforcement has not been lenient.
“We do not give excuses to reckless drivers, tragedy is tragedy,” Mr Al Buainain said. “The issue is not the law or enforcement, but the traffic culture among a small group of drivers.”
He said the General Directorate of Traffic was working tirelessly and that enforcement measures were already showing results.
“Traffic violations have dropped, and people’s attitudes have changed significantly,” he said, adding that ongoing awareness campaigns and monitoring efforts would continue.
The exchange comes amid growing public concern over road safety, particularly after a series of fatal accidents involving speeding and reckless behaviour.
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