Vehicle impoundment... not for all violators
The home vehicle impoundment service will come into effect next Sunday, as a new step within the measures to develop the implementation mechanisms of the Traffic Law and to leverage modern technologies in enforcing violations.
The implementation of the service follows the completion of procedures related to Article 43 of the Traffic Law and the issuance of Ministerial Decision No. 1090 last July regarding the conditions for home vehicle impoundment.
Assistant Director General for Violations and Licenses Affairs at the General Directorate of Traffic, Brigadier General Khaled Al-Adwani, revealed that the Traffic Law includes 29 articles authorizing the impoundment of violating vehicles, particularly those posing a risk to road users’ safety.
During an interview on Kuwait Television on Tuesday with Assistant Director General for Movement Affairs, Colonel Ayoub Ghazi Fathallah, Al-Adwani clarified that among the most prominent violations subject to impoundment are reckless driving, disregard for safety, street racing, exceeding the speed limit, failure to wear seatbelts, using mobile phones while driving, violations of towing conditions, deliberate obstruction of traffic flow, illegal overtaking, emitting disturbing noises, and running red lights.
He confirmed that home impoundment will begin next Sunday, according to cases specified by the General Directorate of Traffic, noting that some violations are not eligible for home impoundment. These include vehicles emitting disturbing noises due to exhaust system modifications, as the vehicle must first be impounded in a holding garage to rectify the noise violation before the competent authorities.
He added that certain serious violations are exempt from home impoundment, including reckless driving and disregard for safety, as well as cases where the violator’s record is filled with violations or substantial fines have accumulated against them, in accordance with regulations set by the General Directorate of Traffic.
He pointed out that eligibility for home impoundment also depends on the violator’s compliance record; the service cannot be granted to individuals with a poor violation history, due to concerns that they might breach the ban and use their vehicle during the impoundment period.
Al-Adwani explained that there is a designated area in the holding garage for those wishing to impound their vehicles at home. The violator fills out the required data and completes the necessary procedures, after which the device is installed, the vehicle is loaded, and impounded at the designated location.
He noted that individuals with currently impounded vehicles can complete their impoundment period at home from the stipulated duration, emphasizing that impoundment periods vary depending on the type of violation, ranging from several days up to a maximum of 60 days.
He stressed that moving a home-impounded vehicle during the impoundment period is prohibited, except in cases of proven necessity, such as fire or specified emergencies.
He emphasized that deliberately violating home impoundment conditions results in a fine of 50 dinars. In case of repeated violations or proven intent, settlement may be refused, and the case may be referred to the Traffic Court under the provisions of Article 34, which stipulates imprisonment of up to two months or a fine ranging from 150 to 200 dinars.
He warned against tampering with, disabling, or damaging the impoundment device, clarifying that the device is state property. Interfering with it, deliberately harming it, or tampering with its components may lead to a damage charge, with the violator held liable for the cost of the device. In such cases, the vehicle will be transferred from the home impoundment site to the holding garage under the Ministry of Interior, and impoundment procedures will continue according to the traditional system.
Regarding the impact of the new traffic law, Al-Adwani confirmed that compliance with seatbelt usage and refraining from using mobile phones while driving reached approximately 90 percent, which he considered an indicator of heightened traffic awareness among road users.
He noted a significant decline in the number of serious violations that cause accidents, injuries, and fatalities, emphasizing that the primary objective of imposing stricter penalties is to protect lives and reinforce adherence to traffic regulations.
He added that changes in drivers’ behavior have become evident, and that strict enforcement of the law will help instill a culture of compliance in future generations, making self-regulation an integral part of daily driving conduct.
He pointed out a substantial drop in violations related to parking in designated spaces for people with disabilities, explaining that such violations previously numbered around 50,000, but fell to approximately 300 annually after being referred for investigation.
He clarified that under the new traffic law, the penalty for this violation includes confiscation of the vehicle and imprisonment for one to three years.
For his part, Colonel Ayoub Ghazi Fathallah explained that the procedures for installing the home detention device and locating the vehicle take about five minutes, following the entry of the violator’s and vehicle’s details and specifying the location where the vehicle will remain during the detention period.
He clarified that the detention site must be a private residence; it does not need to belong to the violator, but must be a private space. Vehicles cannot be detained in public areas, association parking lots, or school premises.
He added that the device is securely installed and sealed inside the vehicle, preventing the violator from opening it. The detention period is calculated starting from 12:00 noon. He noted that the installation fee for the device is 10 dinars, while the daily cost of home detention is 2 dinars, compared to 1 dinar per day if the vehicle is held in an official impound lot.
He further explained that if the device is moved or subjected to any vibration, an immediate alert is sent to the administration, indicating an attempt to tamper with the device or for the vehicle to leave the designated detention zone. In such cases, a patrol unit is dispatched immediately to the location to transfer the vehicle to the impound lot, where traditional detention measures are applied.
He stated that if the violator refuses home detention, a towing fee of 10 dinars is imposed, along with a charge of 1 dinar per day for storage in the impound lot. He noted that the device installed on detained vehicles is monitored through an operations room equipped with screens that track all devices placed on vehicles under home detention via GPS.
He highlighted that the administration is also focusing on violations such as failing to use turn signals when changing lanes, considering them serious offenses that can cause accidents, as signals alert other drivers to lane changes.
Fathallah said that overtaking violations warrant vehicle detention for two months, explaining that this type of violation may also involve another offense: intentionally obstructing traffic flow.
He clarified that in 2022, some drivers’ lack of attention led to collisions with fixed police patrols on roads, resulting in 207 patrol-related accidents.
He added that no patrol accidents were recorded in 2026, attributing this improvement to compliance with the traffic law, increased driver attentiveness, and reduced distractions while driving.
Colonel Al-Adwani stated that the tightening of penalties focused on violations directly linked to the safety of human life, noting that house arrest for vehicles offers a practical alternative to establishing large vehicle impound lots, which require guarding and incur operational costs.
He added that the system allows a vehicle to be impounded at a location chosen by the violator, in accordance with specified regulations, while ensuring electronic monitoring throughout the impoundment period.
He further noted that the administration considers humanitarian cases and handles them according to the nature of each situation, pointing out the establishment of a dedicated contact number for the Traffic Department to report any emergency circumstances related to a vehicle under house arrest.
Al-Adwani emphasized that the General Directorate of Traffic is developing new ideas and services in line with the directives of the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef. He noted that the “Sahel” application represents one of the initiatives underway to facilitate services, while the house arrest project is part of a series of projects to be rolled out sequentially.
Colonel Fathallah stated that the General Directorate of Traffic does not seek profitability, but rather aims to regulate drivers’ behavior. He clarified that traffic law violations affect two fundamental aspects: road user safety and traffic flow.
He explained that a new generation of drivers enters the roads almost daily upon obtaining their driver’s licenses for the first time, noting that the new traffic law governs the behavior and compliance of this generation with regulations.
He said the law was not enacted solely for punitive purposes, but to ensure that drivers maintain disciplined behavior while driving, thereby fostering self-regulation and a sense of responsibility.
Fathallah confirmed that, in addition to traffic patrols, the Traffic Investigations Department has been integrated into the monitoring system. Its officers operate in civilian vehicles distributed across all governorates and highways throughout the country.
He clarified that any wrongful actions or behaviors by road users are detected and addressed immediately, with violations issued against the perpetrators. He noted that while some drivers attempt to comply when they spot traffic patrols, the use of civilian vehicles by Traffic Investigations officers enables the detection of violations in a different manner.
• A poor traffic record may prevent individuals from benefiting from the house arrest option.
