Expatriates living in Oman and in other gulf countries faces any new fines, fees and taxes this year. There is huge updates in traffic laws of Oman were also introduced earlier the year in September. Amendments were made in September 5 were considered to be increased the fines up to 2000%. Not all Traffic violations were affected only certain traffic offences fines were increased.
The new traffic laws changes increased the average jail time per violation between 10 to two years on other hand the fine ranges between 200 OMR to 3000 OMR. The government and traffic experts said that these stiffer measures were taken to keep the safety and to reduce traffic accidents and injuries. According to Omani Traffic authorities almost 2 people killed daily due to road accidents on the roads of Oman. These new amendment helps to keep the fatalities at lower level. National Center for Statistics and Information(NCSI) figures showed that 336 people killed in 2100 accident in whole sultanate until the end of June 2016.
It is true that these measures can increase traffic safety but on other side Oman revenues drops due to oil prize Slump with deficit of 3.5 billion OMR in starting 6 months of 2016. Revenues were lower down by 32.1 percent according to NCSI.
Sultan of Oman Qaboos Bin Saeed approved the new amendments last in august through the royal decree no. 38\2016.
Overview of amendments shown that old traffic laws exists but fines and penalties increased under the amended law.
Changes in Oman Traffic Laws:
- First time, drivers who oversight the warning to avoid wadis during rainy season will face the fine of 500 Omani rials with jail up to 3 months.
- Old Fine for using mobile phone or other device while driving is 10-15 rials which is now become 300 rials, with a jail of three months.
- Irresponsible and careless drivers can be fined with 3000 Omani rials with two years jail, if the accident happens, causing injuries and deaths or permanent disability due to recklessness, carelessness, as well as under the dominance of alcohol, drugs and narcotics.
- The drivers caught driving in leverage of alcohol, drugs and narcotics can face fine more than 800 rials with six months jail. The older penalties for this is 50 rials.
- Another important change for drivers who performs stunts using vehicles on the roads, have to pay fine of 500 rials an the jail period of tree months.
- Performing immoral acts while driving which were stated in Article 42 of Oman’s Traffic law, the driver can face 500 rials fine with three months jail.
- The driver unable to present his license or refuse. As well as ignores to give alcohol breath test have to stay in jail for 10 to 30 days with fine ranges from 30 to 300 rials
These major amendments were approved by Omani Cabinet in 2015 and given to Sultan Qaboos for further approval. After one year these amendments were approved on September 2016.
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Oman is considered in the list of highest rates of road accidents(Estimated road traffic death rate (per 100 000 population). Only in 2015 almost 6,276 crashes recorded, resulting in more than 675 deaths. July 2015 is blackest month in road accidents killing 71 people. 4 million traffic fines were registered in year 2015.
The Source of Above Articles is GULF NEWS
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