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The Operations Affairs Sector of the Ministry of Interior announced that last week’s intensive security and traffic campaigns resulted in 39,932 traffic citations being issued along with responses to 1,211 accidents. According to the ministry, those operations carried out by the Directorate-General of Traffic and the Emergency Police also led to the arrest of 196 wanted criminals as authorities worked to enforce traffic laws and bolster road safety. In addition, 503 vehicles and four motorcycles were impounded while 29 vehicles wanted by the judiciary were seized. Twenty-three juveniles were referred to the Juvenile Prosecution for serious traffic violations and 28 motorists were detained at the Traffic Detention Center pending legal proceedings, the sector reported.
Meanwhile the Emergency Police campaigns from August 23 to 29 produced 2,190 traffic violations and the arrest of 167 wanted individuals, according to the ministry. Those operations also resulted in the arrest of 98 violators of residency and labor laws in addition to 20 people suspected of narcotics use or possession. Five individuals found in an abnormal state were referred to the Anti-Narcotics Department with 90 vehicles impounded and responses made to 146 accidents during the period.
The weekly figures build on patterns seen across 2024 when Kuwait recorded 65,991 traffic accidents that caused 284 fatalities with 90 percent linked to driver inattention and distractions, a Kuwait Times report indicated. The traffic department issued 1.9 million speeding tickets that year along with 174,793 for running red lights, according to a January 2025 briefing by Brigadier General Mohammad Al-Subhan at the Ministry of Interior. Such statistics have highlighted the scale of enforcement required to address road safety challenges.
A new traffic law that took effect in 2025 contributed to a 45 percent reduction in accidents during the first half of that year compared with the same period in 2024 and a 34 percent drop in fatalities, the Ministry of Interior stated in subsequent updates. Monthly data for May and June of 2025 showed violations falling by as much as 59 percent from the prior year while accidents declined by 50 percent or more, according to ministry figures. The improvements have been tied to stricter penalties and increased compliance with updated regulations.
The Directorate-General of Traffic has maintained focus on key violation categories including speeding, mobile phone use while driving and failure to wear seat belts throughout its campaigns. In the latest operations officers continued to target reckless behavior with referrals to prosecution where appropriate. Official statistics from the ministry have documented sustained downward trends in both monthly violations and road deaths following the regulatory changes.
