Brigadier General Mohammad Al-Subhan, Director of Coordination and Follow-up at the Ministry of Interior’s Traffic Sector, reported that the last quarter of 2024 saw 61,553 traffic violations related to seatbelt non-compliance and mobile phone use while driving. This announcement was made during a lecture organized by the Gulf Traffic Week Organizing Committee at the Kuwait News Agency, held under the theme “Driving Without a Phone” as part of the 38th Gulf Traffic Week.
Al-Subhan disclosed alarming statistics for 2024, with 65,991 traffic accidents leading to 284 fatalities. He noted that 90% of these incidents were caused by driver distractions, while 10% were attributed to vehicle issues or poor road conditions. Among the fatalities, age-wise data revealed:
Children aged 1-9 years: 8 fatalities
Ages 10-19: 27 fatalities
Ages 20-29: 61 fatalities
Ages 30-39: 52 fatalities
Ages 40-49: 53 fatalities
Ages 50-59: 50 fatalities
Ages 60 and above: 31 fatalities
Highlighting the rise in reckless driving behaviors, Al-Subhan called for stricter penalties to curb violations and save lives.
Key traffic violation statistics for 2024 include:
Speeding: 1,926,320 violations
Running red lights: 174,793 violations
Seatbelt non-compliance: 152,367 cases
Mobile phone use while driving: 79,519 cases
Noisy vehicles: 27,163 cases
Reckless driving: 11,307 cases
Additionally, 8,455 vehicles and 4,027 motorcycles were impounded. New amendments to Kuwait’s traffic laws have introduced increased fines to deter violations. For example, the penalty for allowing a child under 10 years to sit in the front seat or failing to secure them in the back seat has risen from KD 5 to KD 50.
Lieutenant Colonel Abdullah Buhassan, Assistant Director of Traffic Awareness and a member of the Gulf Traffic Week Committee, discussed advanced traffic monitoring systems, including fixed and mobile cameras, surveillance networks, and point-to-point monitoring to track seatbelt use and mobile phone violations.
The lecture also showcased video demonstrations of common traffic accidents, their causes, and the role of the Central Control Room in managing traffic, optimizing intersection signals, tracking violations, and issuing indirect fines. Recent updates to traffic laws and accident management procedures were also discussed.
