Key Points
- Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers approved amendments to the Traffic Law.
- Expatriates convicted of dangerous traffic violations face deportation and a permanent re-entry ban.
- Repeat violations will result in maximum fines, court referral, or imprisonment up to one year.
- The new rules will be implemented in coordination with the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, and Public Prosecution.
- Executive regulations will specify which violations are considered a threat to public safety.
Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers has approved amendments to the Traffic Law that introduce deportation for expatriates who commit serious traffic offenses. Under the new regulations, non-Saudis convicted by a final court ruling of violations that endanger public safety will be deported and permanently banned from re-entering the Kingdom.
The decision will be implemented in coordination with the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and the Public Prosecution. It comes as part of national efforts to strengthen traffic safety measures and curb dangerous driving practices.
The amendments also introduce tougher penalties for repeat violations. If a driver commits the same violation for the second time within one year, the maximum fine will be applied. A third violation within the same year will lead to referral to a competent court, which may impose a prison sentence of up to one year, unless it chooses instead to double the fine issued for the second offense.
The updated Traffic Law also specifies the violations that are considered a threat to public safety and outlines the procedures for referring offenders to court. Violations that endanger public safety typically include reckless driving, excessive speeding, and other dangerous acts that put lives at risk, although the executive regulations will officially define these offenses.
With these changes, the Saudi government is reinforcing its commitment to road safety. Expatriates convicted of endangering public safety now face not only fines and imprisonment but also deportation and a permanent entry ban from the Kingdom.