Bahrain: Traffic authorities balk at suggestions to extend vehicle test grace period for the elderly

Cairo: Traffic authorities in Bahrain have objected to a parliamentary suggestion to extend the grace period for checking cars owned by old people, saying the current five-year limit complies with safety standards.

Earlier this week, the Bahraini legislature’s foreign affairs, defence and national security committee has recommended approving a proposal to extend the technical checking of vehickles from five years to seven for old people and make the annual check to be biennial to make life easier for them.

In response, the General Directorate of Traffic said that the current time limits aim at ensuring the roadworthiness of cars and safety of their drivers and other road users.

“Expanding the exemption duration now in effect will not be in line with traffic safety and will result in an increase in traffic accidents as a consequence of lack of periodical checking and negligence in car maintenance,” the directorate added, according to Akhbar Al khaleej newspaper.

The directorate cited a decree from the Bahraini interior minister licensing a number of private centres to conduct the car checking service with the aim of easing the burden on citizens and expatriates.