Turkish parliament enacts traffic law reform with higher fines

ANKARA

Turkish authorities have passed a sweeping overhaul of traffic laws, sharply increasing fines and introducing tougher penalties aimed at reducing road fatalities and dangerous driving.

Approved by the Turkish parliament, the bill amends the country’s road traffic law and will come into force once it is published in the Official Gazette.

Authorities say the goal is to cut annual traffic deaths — currently around 6,000 — by at least half.

Under the new law, drivers who engage in dangerous behaviors such as drifting, weaving through traffic, racing or forming convoys that endanger public safety will face both license suspension and vehicle impoundment.

Repeated violations are treated particularly harshly: Drivers who run a red light six times within one year will permanently lose their driving licenses.

Under the new regulation, drivers who violate speed limits within city limits will have their licenses confiscated for at least one month.

Drivers who cause accidents by running red lights will also face license suspensions and must undergo a psychological fitness assessment before their license can be reinstated.

Leaving the scene of a fatal or injury-related accident without official permission will now be punishable by one to three years in prison.

Financial penalties have also been dramatically increased.

Tampering with license plates to make them unreadable will result in a fine of roughly 140,000 Turkish Liras ($3,200), along with a 30-day vehicle ban.

Drivers who fail to yield to or stop for ambulances, rescue vehicles, fire trucks, and forestry service vehicles will face a 46,000 liras ($1,052) fine and a 30-day license suspension.

New provisions within the proposal target aggressive driving behaviors.

Under these rules, persistently tailing another car for harassment or exiting a vehicle for a confrontation will result in a 180,000 liras ($4,100) fine.

Motorcyclists are also a particular focus of the reforms.

Motorists caught racing against one another will be fined 46,000 liras and their licenses will be confiscated for a period of two years.