Kuwait City: In a landmark move, Kuwait has introduced a new traffic law replacing prison sentences and fines with community service for certain traffic offences.
The reform aims to improve road safety, ease pressure on prisons, and encourage responsible driving. The new system will take effect one month after its publication in the Official Gazette Kuwait Al-Yawm.
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According to the Arabic daily Al Rai, the decision, led by First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah, updates the 1976 traffic law by giving courts the power to order offenders to carry out unpaid public work, attend training sessions, or pay compensation for damages.
This approach focuses on rehabilitation and encourages offenders to give back to the community rather than simply serving time.
Offenders may be assigned tasks such as cleaning streets, planting trees, organising Qurans in mosques, or supporting hospitals, schools, and charitable organisations. They may also participate in awareness campaigns and workshops to promote safer driving.
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The General Traffic Department will oversee the initiative, collaborating with 16 government agencies including the ministries of health, education, and public works. Assignments will be tailored according to the nature of the offence and individual circumstances.
If damage occurs, offenders are required to repair or compensate for it. Failure to complete the community service could result in serving the original prison sentence.
The reform builds on stricter traffic laws introduced in April 2025, which have already led to a significant drop in serious offences such as speeding and mobile phone use while driving.
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