Bahrain to hike traffic fines to curb accidents

Bahrain's traffic department has decided to increase fines for traffic offences in order to confront the rapidly increasing number of road accidents, a top officer said.

Although the number of fatalities on the road dropped last year - to 76 from 81 in 2002, the year 2003 has registered the highest number of traffic accidents in 10 years, Brigadier Hassan Al Sumaim, acting director of the traffic department told a press conference.

He noted that four people were killed in accidents in January. In 2003, 535 people suffered serious injuries and 2,873 minor injuries on the roads, compared with 506 and 2,269 respectively in 2002, he said.

"The department is lobbying to amend the traffic law to stiffen punishment of violators and raise the fines of offences," he said.

He complained however that Bahrain's road networks were not able to absorb the rapid growth in the number of new vehicles. More than 1,100 new vehicles hit the roads every month, he noted.