Northern Cyprus regulates traffic-related bills and penalties: Drunk drivers to be taken to court in new traffic law

The penalties for some traffic offenses have been increased with the bills unanimously approved by the Committee on Law, Political Affairs, Foreign Affairs and Defense of the TRNC Assembly. 

In the traffic-related bills that were unanimously passed by the Law, Political Affairs, Foreign Relations and Defense Committee of the Republican Assembly, some crimes were regulated and some penalties were increased. 

The revised laws aim to prevent certain behaviors that lead to traffic accidents. 

The Chair of the Committee on Law, Political Affairs, Foreign Relations and Defense, National Unity Party (UBP) MP Yasemi Öztürk provided information to the Turkish Agency Cyprus (TAK) regarding the Unified Road and Traffic Crimes Without Trial and Penalty Points (Amendment) Bill, the Unified Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill and the Unified Road Safety (Amendment) Bill, the second debates of which were held in the General Assembly of the Parliament.

Stating that they aimed to deter with the drafts in question, Öztürk drew attention to fatal traffic accidents and reminded that the penalty for causing someone's death in a traffic accident was increased from 7 to 14 years with a previous regulation. Stating that traffic-related problems cannot be solved with penalties alone, Öztürk also emphasized the importance of education, inspection and infrastructure.

According to the information provided by Öztürk, the penalty for “drunk driving” will be applied gradually.

Drunk drivers over 151 per mille to face court

Drivers with a drink level between 51 and 100 per mille will be fined 50 percent of the minimum wage and 100 penalty points. If the fine is not paid and goes to court, the person may be sentenced to a fine of up to five times the minimum wage and/or up to one year in prison and/or both.

Drivers with a drink level between 101-150 per mille will be fined 100 percent of the minimum wage and 100 points. If the person does not pay the fine and goes to court, they may be sentenced to a fine of up to 10 times the minimum wage and/or up to two years in prison and/or both.

Drivers with a blood alcohol level over 151 per mille will not be subject to a fixed penalty, the matter will be referred to the court. The person will appear in court within five working days. The court may impose a fine of up to 15 times the minimum wage and/or up to three years in prison and/or both.

In the case of driving under the influence of drugs, no fixed penalty will be applied, the matter will go to court within five working days. The court can impose a fine of up to 15 times the minimum wage and/or up to three years in prison and/or both.

There will be no fixed penalty for driving under the influence of drugs. The matter will go to court within five working days and the court may impose a fine of up to five times the minimum wage and/or up to two years in prison and/or both.

Fines can be imposed with the Electronic Control System

Some crimes in the Law on the Resolution of Road and Traffic Offenses Without a Case and Penalty Points and crimes in the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Law can also be detected and fined with the Electronic Control System (cameras and radars).

There will be no fixed penalty for the crime of changing, damaging or damaging the chassis number of a vehicle, the matter will go to court. The court may impose a fine of up to three times the minimum wage and/or a prison sentence of up to three years and/or both.

If a person is convicted of dangerous driving twice within 15 months and commits dangerous driving for the third time, they will go to court. In traffic accidents that result in injury, all crimes will go to court if the victim complains.

Penalties for carrying passengers without a “T” business permit have also increased

The fine for parking at the entrance or exit of a fire station, police station, cinema, theatre, bank, mosque, church, hospital, clinic, school or garage has increased from 5 percent of the minimum wage to 10 percent.

The fine for not using a seat belt increased from 10 percent of the minimum wage to 20 percent, and the penalty points increased from 5 to 10.

The fine for carrying passengers without a “T” business permit increased from 25 percent to 200 percent, while 20 penalty points became 50.

The fine and points for not complying with the police's "stop" order and stopping a vehicle until the police allow it to continue have also increased. The fine for the crime in question has increased from 10 percent of the minimum wage to 100 percent, and the penalty points from 5 to 100.

In places where there is a fixed image radar system, the penalty points for exceeding the speed limit by up to 20 km/h have been increased from 5 to 10, and for exceeding the speed limit by more than 20 km/h, the penalty points have been increased from 25 to 30.

A fine of minimum wage and 50 points for talking on a mobile phone

Drivers who talk on a mobile phone will be given a fine of 100% of the minimum wage and 50 penalty points. 

The law has made a new definition for talking on the phone while driving and the article in question has been regulated as follows:

"Drivers are prohibited from talking or using mobile phones, tablets, car phones or similar electronic devices while driving, or from writing, reading or watching anything with such devices or any material, whether or not they are holding them in their hands."

With this regulation, talking via a Bluetooth headset or Bluetooth connected to a car stereo without a mobile phone in hand will not be a cause for punishment. 

Drivers who smoke, use tobacco products or use electronic cigarettes while driving will be fined 5 percent of the minimum wage.