No home booking for vehicles in cases of negligence and recklessness
Implementation begins on Sunday under Ministerial Decision No. 1090 for a significant number of violations
Al-Adwani:
90% compliance with seatbelt use and mobile phone restrictions, with a noticeable decline in some "serious" violations
Parking in disabled persons' spots used to reach 50,000 cases annually and no longer exceeds 300
We are developing new ideas to enhance traffic services via the "Sahl" app, which will be launched soon
Anyone with a currently impounded vehicle can complete the impoundment period at home
Legal
Time and Calendars
A vehicle under home impoundment must not be moved except in cases of necessity
If a person intentionally violates the conditions of home impoundment, they will be fined 50 dinars
Al-Ayoub:
The location for vehicle impoundment must be a private residence; it is not required that the property belong to the offender
The time period after device installation is calculated starting from 12:00 midnight, with a fee of 10 dinars
If the device detects vibration, we receive an alert, and a patrol unit is immediately dispatched to the site to tow the vehicle
We do not seek profitability but rather to regulate drivers' behavior
We focus on the "failure to use turn signals" violation due to its danger
Vehicles involved in overtaking violations are impounded for two months, and additional violations are recorded for obstructing traffic
Deputy Director General of Violations and Licenses Affairs at the General Directorate of Traffic, Brigadier General (Legal) Khaled Al-Adwani, confirmed that implementation of the "Smart Home Impoundment of Vehicles for Certain Traffic Violations" decision will begin next Sunday, in continuation of Article 43 of the Traffic Law, which authorizes the Minister of Interior to establish impoundment procedures using the latest technological means, in accordance with Ministerial Decision No. 1090 issued last July.
29 Articles on Impoundment
Al-Adwani said, during an interview on Kuwait Television the evening before yesterday, that there are 29 articles authorizing the impoundment of violating vehicles under Article 207 of the Traffic Law, which classifies certain violations as serious, including reckless driving, racing, carelessness, speeding beyond the limit, failure to wear seatbelts, using mobile phones, violating towing conditions, intentionally obstructing traffic, illegal overtaking, emitting disturbing noises, and running red lights.
He clarified that these are the primary violations requiring vehicle impoundment due to the danger they pose to drivers' lives, noting that the project has made things easier for everyone. Instead of dedicating large impoundment lots, which require providing security and paying fees, it is now possible to impound the vehicle at the offender's home.
Al-Adwani added that violations such as "exhaust noise" cannot be handled through home impoundment, as the vehicle must be impounded in a garage to remove the noise. Some other violations are also not subject to home impoundment, including carelessness, reckless driving, and certain serious offenses. These are regulations determined by the General Directorate of Traffic. Additionally, some offenders have poor violation records, and their vehicles cannot be impounded at home because they would break the seal and use the vehicle.
He explained that there is a designated area in the impoundment garage for those wishing to opt for home impoundment. They fill out the required data, complete all relevant procedures, and then the device is installed, the vehicle is towed, and impounded at the location chosen by the offender. Anyone with a currently impounded vehicle can complete the remaining impoundment period at home from the mandated duration. Impoundment periods vary depending on the violation determined by the General Directorate of Traffic, ranging from several days up to a maximum of 60 days.
It must not be moved
Al-Adwani clarified that a vehicle under house arrest cannot be moved except in cases of necessity, such as a fire or emergencies confirmed by an official report, such as specific cases. He said: “We appreciate humanitarian circumstances, and there is a contact number for the General Directorate of Traffic to report any situation faced by the violator who owns the vehicle under house arrest. Such cases are handled with full professionalism. If a person deliberately violates the conditions of house arrest, a violation worth 50 dinars is recorded against him. If his behavior or violation is repeated in the future, a settlement request with him will be rejected, and he will be referred to the traffic court.” He pointed out that Article 34 is clear, and the penalty can reach up to two months’ imprisonment or a fine ranging from 150 to 200 dinars.
He added that this service was introduced not to break the law, but to facilitate compliance, with the hope that everyone will adhere to the law.
He noted that if there is tampering with, intentional damage to, or interference with the house arrest device, a “case of destruction” is recorded, as it is state property. The value of the device is paid, and the vehicle is transferred from house arrest to the impound lot at the Ministry of Interior.
He explained that there is a 90 percent compliance rate regarding seatbelt use and mobile phone usage, which reflects the awareness and culture of society. He said: “There has been a noticeable decline in some serious violations that cause accidents, injuries, or fatalities, which is what we aim for.”
He clarified that previously, violations of parking in disabled persons’ spaces amounted to around 50,000 cases. However, after the directive to refer such cases to investigations, this type of violation dropped to no more than 300 cases annually. Under the new law, the penalty for parking in disabled persons’ spaces now includes confiscation of the vehicle and imprisonment for one to three years.
He continued: “We are working on new ideas and developing traffic services through the ‘Sahel’ app. The house arrest project is part of a series of upcoming projects that will soon see the light of day.”
**House Arrest Monitoring**
For his part, Assistant Director General for Traffic Regulation Affairs, Colonel Ayoub Al-Ayoub, said that the process of installing the device on the vehicle and placing it under house arrest via a special device takes only five minutes. This includes entering the violator’s and vehicle’s data and specifying the location of the house-arrested vehicle, which is chosen by the violator. The location must be a private residence; it is not required that the home belong to the violator, but it must be a private place. Vehicles cannot be placed under house arrest in public areas, parking lots of associations, or schools. The device is installed and securely sealed inside the vehicle, either on the steering wheel or in another manner, so that the violator cannot open it. The time period is calculated from the moment the device is installed, starting at 12:00 midnight. The installation fee is 10 dinars, the daily house arrest fee is 2 dinars, and 1 dinar if the vehicle is held in the impound lot.
He added that if the device is moved or any vibration occurs, an immediate notification is sent to us, indicating that someone is attempting to tamper with the device or that the vehicle has left the designated house arrest area. A patrol unit is then dispatched immediately to the location, and the vehicle is transferred to the impound lot, where traditional impoundment procedures are applied. If the violator does not wish to keep the vehicle under house arrest, a towing fee of 10 dinars is imposed, plus a fee of 1 dinar per day for storage in the impound lot.
He explained that the device installed on the vehicle is monitored through the operations room, with screens tracking all devices placed on house-arrested vehicles via GPS. Any movement of the device triggers a notification containing the device number, after which the exact location is identified.
**Overtaking Violations**
Colonel Al-Ayoub noted that the General Directorate of Traffic is not profit-driven; its objective is to regulate drivers’ behavior, as traffic violations affect two key areas: road safety for all users and the flow of traffic. Among the dangerous violations the directorate prioritizes is “failing to use turn signals when changing lanes,” because this omission can cause serious accidents, as signals alert other vehicles.
He added that, in addition to regular traffic patrols, the Traffic Investigations Department has been deployed. These officers operate in unmarked civilian vehicles across all governorates and highways. Any traffic violation committed by road users is issued on the spot, because some drivers tend to comply more strictly when they see a marked patrol car. In contrast, the unmarked Traffic Investigations units are equipped to detect and penalize all types of violations.
He emphasized that vehicles involved in overtaking violations are impounded for two months, and an additional violation for “willfully obstructing traffic flow” is also recorded. He noted that vehicles involved in speeding violations exceeding 151 km/h are also impounded.
“No favoritism” under directives from the First Deputy
Colonel Ayoub Al-Ayoub stressed that traffic laws are applied to everyone without exception, with absolutely no favoritism. He pointed out that this is a clear and firm directive from Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousif, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.
Five minutes to install the device
Colonel Ayoub Al-Ayoub confirmed that installing the tracking device on a vehicle and impounding it via a specialized unit takes no more than five minutes.
No impoundment in school or cooperative society parking lots
Al-Ayoub further affirmed that vehicles cannot be impounded in public areas, cooperative society parking lots, or school premises.
