KUWAIT: Traffic accidents, deaths and tickets have dropped sharply in Kuwait in the first half of 2025 over the same period last year after implementing the new traffic law which imposed harsh penalties, a top traffic official said on Monday.
Head of the traffic awareness department Colonel Fahad Al-Issa said that traffic accidents dropped 45 percent to 1,383 mishaps in the first six months of the year, compared to 2,511 accidents in the same period of 2024.
The new traffic law was implemented late in the first half on April 22 but its positive impact on motorists has been impressive.
The first half of 2025 recorded just 94 deaths compared to 143 deaths in the corresponding period of last year, down 34 percent, col. Issa said.
Traffic offenses for the entire six months of this year dropped 16 percent to 1.66 million offenses from 1.97 million offenses in the first half of 2024, he said.
However, the drop was much higher in the months of May and June which saw the full impact of the new legislation.
Deaths in May dropped by half to 11 cases compared to 22 in May last year, while in June deaths dropped a massive 75 percent to just five compared to 20 in June last year, Issa added.
Traffic cameras recorded 126,000 violations in May this year, down 59 percent from 308,000 in May in 2024, while the drop was 53 percent in June to 164,000 violations from 349,000 offenses in June last year, he said.
The new traffic law has increased penalties and fines several times, especially in serious offenses like breaking the red traffic light, speeding and failure to buckle up.
