Penalty fear cuts speed, red light violations

KUWAIT CITY, June 14: The number of speed limit violations and running the red light has seen a sharp drop after the enforcement of Kuwait’s new traffic law, Interior Ministry data showed on Sunday, citing the figures as a testament to road awareness. The number of violations related to breaking the speed limit dropped by 65 percent during the period from April 22, 2025 to April 21, 2026, as compared to the same period a year earlier, according to ministry statistics. After recording some 1,618,739 speed limit violations before the new law was enforced, the figure plummeted to 561,820 after the new traffic rules were introduced, it showed. Traffic violations over running the red light had also seen a drop worth 63 percent in the same period, where said infractions amounted to 140,539 before the new law was enforced, as compared to 51,732 after its passing. In April of 2025, Kuwait introduced new and more stringent laws aiming to curb traffic deaths and protect lives, with such legislation marking a watershed in national efforts to ensure road traffic safety and protection. (KUNA)