RIYADH — A maximum fine of SR900 will be slapped as a penalty for driving a deceased person’s vehicle without authorization. The penalty also includes impounding of the vehicle until the violation is rectified. The Public Security Directorate has proposed an amendment to the Traffic Law by adding a clause in this regard.
The directorate has presented the proposal via the Istitlaa platform for public feedback before its approval. Amending paragraph four of Article 68 of the Traffic Law adds the offense of driving a vehicle, owned by a deceased person, without authorization to that vehicle as a traffic violation within the schedule of violations attached to the Traffic Law.
The fine for this offense ranges from a minimum of SR500 to a maximum of SR900, in addition to impounding the vehicle until the violation is rectified.
It should be noted that paragraph four of Article 68 of the Traffic Law already lists violations that result in vehicle impoundment, but only for driving a vehicle owned by a living person without authorization. The proposed amendment adds the clause “owned by a deceased person without authorization to that vehicle.”
The amendment aims to encourage the heirs of the deceased or their legal representative to promptly rectify the status of the deceased’s vehicle. It also aims to impound the vehicle until its status is corrected if any heir or other party drives it without proper authorization. This would prevent evading responsibility for traffic violations or accidents, thus ensuring the safety of all road users.
The amendment would be supportive to security and traffic sectors in tracking down vehicles, whose owners passed away, and working to rectify their status. It would also incentivize heirs of the deceased to expedite the process of correcting the vehicle’s status, thereby creating a safer traffic environment. This would be achieved by prohibiting the driving of such vehicles on the roads until their status is rectified, and by ensuring that necessary measures are taken regarding these vehicles, including verifying their roadworthiness, subjecting them to periodic inspections, insurance, and other traffic regulations.
The amendment would help determine liability in the event of accidents or traffic violations, thereby reducing the burden on government agencies and ensuring the continued legal use of vehicles.
Source: Saudi Gazette