Kuwait And Qatar Starts Traffic Violation Data Sharing Initiative

Qatar and Kuwait have embarked on a project to share traffic violation data, with implementation set to begin on July 13. 

The initiative aims to enhance cooperation between the two countries and leverage best practices to reduce traffic accidents and preserve lives and property. 

The decision follows a meeting between officials from Qatar’s Ministry of Interior (MoI) and representatives from Kuwait. Lt Col Abdulaziz al-Asmar al-Ruwaili represented Qatar, while Brig Osama al-Wahib led the Kuwaiti delegation.

This move comes as Kuwait experiences a concerning surge in traffic accidents, with an average of eight incidents occurring every hour. 

Reckless driving, including mobile phone use while driving, has been identified as a major contributing factor. In the first five months of the year, Kuwait recorded 29,000 accidents resulting in 135 deaths. 

This equates to an average monthly death toll of 27 and approximately 193 accidents per day. The statistics highlight the urgent need for an integrated plan to address reckless behavior on the roads.

Authorities have emphasized the importance of effectively communicating the seriousness of traffic violations, implementing harsher penalties, and amending traffic laws. 

Driving under the influence of drugs has been identified as a significant issue, leading to red-light violations and endangering the lives of both drivers and others on the road. 

Kuwait has over 2.4 million cars and more than 1.6 million valid driving licenses as of the end of 2022.

Six main causes of accidents have been identified, including inattentiveness, mobile phone usage, wrong side overtaking, failure to maintain vehicles, recklessness and speeding, and hazardous road conditions. Despite ongoing awareness campaigns, a concerning number of fatal accidents involve young people who fail to comply with traffic laws. 

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The Medical Emergency Department has seen a rise in traffic accident-related cases, particularly on weekends and holidays.

The data sharing initiative between Qatar and Kuwait will help both countries to improve road safety by enabling better tracking and monitoring of traffic violations. This collaboration will also help both countries to reduce accidents, protect lives, and maintain road discipline.