Impounded vehicles piling up at Traffic Dept

There are thousands of impounded vehicles of different brands and sizes at the Investigation and Vehicle Impounding Section (IVIS) at Traffic Department, local Arabic daily Arrayah reported yesterday.

Quoting an interview with First Lieutenant Mohamed Safar al-Kuwari, IVIS assistant officer, published recently in the Police Magazine, the officer stressed that the section is working round the clock to control and spot various traffic violations and risky driving practices around the country.

“For a car to be impounded there are certain violations such as illegally modifying the car system, modifying the silencer to increase sound, stunt driving, irresponsible driving risking the lives of others and using heavily tinted glass,” he explained.

Regarding the vehicles that have accumulated hefty fines that remain unpaid within six months, First Lieutenant al-Kuwari said that such vehicles would be offered for sale in a public auction and the proceeds would be transferred to the accounts of the Traffic Department as stipulated in relevant law.

Any vehicle with old number plates would be stopped and impounded and the owners would be given a grace period of two weeks to resolve the problem, renew registrations and install the new number plates. They also have to pay any fines on the vehicle before it could be released.

The official pointed out that there are vehicles required by court rulings or orders, so the IVIS issues a circulation for all traffic patrols to seize such vehicles and impound them until the litigation procedures are concluded or otherwise they could be sold in a public auction under the supervision of the courts. Most of the cases involve financial default.

He further pointed out that courts often organise a public auction for such cars. During last July, such an auction was conducted for 800 cars and 450 were sold. Another auction is coming up. Those who buy such vehicles have to pay all the accumulated fines.

However, the cars sold at the Traffic Department auction are sold clear of their violations and the fines and violations on them would be registered on the personal identification number of the original owner.

Normally, a vehicle could be impounded for thee months for each violation. For two violations it could be impounded for six months. The authorised officer has the mandate to determine the period of impounding according to the nature of the violation and the record of the motorist.

Around 3,000 of the impounded cars have been abandoned by their owners because of the huge fines that exceed the price of the car itself. Some of the cars belong to individuals deported from the country as well.