Motorists who run red lights in Jeddah will have to spend 24 hours behind bars before being able to pay the mandatory fine, Brig. Zaid Al-Hamzi of Jeddah’s traffic police told Arab News.
“Fines incurred under the Saher CCTV monitors will only be accepted after violators have spent the night in jail,” he said. “Motorists can pay their penalties through the SADAD system via ATM or online after visiting the traffic department in person with a slip confirming that they had served the 24-hour detention period. The new regulation, which has already come into effect, is mandatory and will not exempt anyone,” said Al-Hamzi.
“Additional undercover traffic police officials wearing regular clothing have been deployed on the city’s streets, in addition to existing patrols, amid intensive campaigns to crack down on traffic violators.”
Mohammed Mansour, an executive at a leading rent a car firm, confirmed the news.
“Some of our customers have spent the night in jail for jumping traffic signals,” he said.
A similar mandatory imprisonment system is being introduced across parts of the Kingdom, according to sources.
Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh recently issued fatwa against reckless drivers. The grand mufti, who is the most senior religious authority in Saudi Arabia, said that such violations are a “major sin” since they can kill others.
Al-Asheikh cited a Qur’anic verse that says: “whoever kills a person unjustly, it is as though he has killed all mankind. And whoever spares a life, it is as though he had saved all mankind.”
