The People's Assembly will soon vote on measures that seek not only to reduce the number of traffic violations and road accidents but prevent drivers from reaching for their horns, reports Reem Leila In an attempt to streamline traffic flow and reduce road accidents traffic Law 66/1973 is being amended. The People's Assembly Legislative Committee has already approved the changes despite opposition from some deputies to articles that toughen penalties for, among other things, speeding, and which allow drivers who behave abusively towards traffic policemen to be detained. Major General Ahmed Diaaeddin, assistant to the minister of interior, says the new bill toughens penalties in a way that makes them commensurate with the gravity of whatever offence is committed and is intended to protect not just innocent parties but motorists themselves. Under the amendments anyone found driving without a valid licence will face a mandatory prison sentence not exceeding six months and a fine of between LE100 and LE500. To make it easier for drivers to meet the new licensing regulations, says Diaaeddin, "motorcycles, tractors and other private vehicles will be licensed for three years" once the new law comes into effect. All heavy goods vehicles will be obliged to carry the equivalent of a black box in their cabs, helping investigators determine the cause of any accidents that occur. The changes to the law will also prohibit trailers after a grace period of three years, during which time manufacturers and importers will no longer be allowed to produce or import trailers. Currently 37,000 trailers are licensed in Egypt. There is a general consensus that to succeed the new law must be applied without discrimination. Officials have repeatedly stated that no exceptions will be made. At a recent press conference Interior Minister Habib El-Adli announced that, "the law can only confront those who threaten lives and endanger private and public property if it applies to everyone, without exception". A disciplinary department is to be created that will monitor offences committed by drivers of police vehicles and submit a regular report to the General Traffic Authority (GTA). Major General Sherif Gomaa, assistant interior minister for traffic, insists that vehicles affiliated to official bodies and the diplomatic corps, will also be subject to the new regulations. Many argue that however well intentioned the changes the impact is likely to be minimal if traffic policemen remain underpaid and overworked. Gomaa's reassurances that any policeman found guilty of accepting bribes will be discharged, they say, are at best unconvincing. In a spot poll several people reported having seen traffic policemen accepting bribes of between LE20 and LE50 from microbus drivers who had infringed current rules. New regulations will also come into force regulating the tok-tok . The three-wheeled motorcycle with a cabin for passengers will in future be subject to technical and manufacturing requirements set by the Egyptian Ministry of Trade and Industry with which, after a three- month period, all tok-tok owners must comply. Initially the vehicles will be licensed only in small towns and rural areas, beginning with Beheira, Damietta and Al-Sharqiya and then expanding to other rural areas if the experiment proves successful. Any tok-toks found working in major cities will be confiscated. Muslim Brotherhood MP Ragab Abu Zeid criticised amendments to Article 4 of the bill which will henceforth prohibit the licensing as a taxi of any vehicle more than 10 years old and effectively suspend the licences of anyone currently operating a taxi that is more than 20 years old. "These provisions will come as a blow to the large numbers of low-income Egyptians who rely on their cars as a source of income," he said. "The new law seems designed to punish the poor," says Hassan Ahmed, a taxi driver who works in Al-Haram. "Many taxi drivers are planning to sell their taxis and look for new work. The new law is unfair to people like us, who are already living from hand to mouth and cannot afford to buy newer cars. We all have instalments to pay on repairs, we all have families and children in schools. How can we support them if we have our licences suspended?" Spot fines for speeding are to be beefed up to between LE500 to LE1,000, and similar penalties will apply to anyone driving the wrong way down a one-way street. The inveterate use of the car horn is also being targeted, with noise pollution identified as a major public nuisance, particularly in urban areas. Under the amendments, unnecessary use of the car horn will be subject to a fine of about LE100. Gomaa acknowledges that it will take time to improve what he calls drivers' "bad behaviour". In the hope of speeding up the process, the bill includes provisions for driving bans -- one month for a first offence, three months for the second, and the possibility of permanent suspension for any additional offences. Driving when intoxicated also becomes an offence, with those found guilty liable to face between three months and one year in jail. The same penalty will apply to anyone who allows a minor, i.e. someone under the age of 18, to drive his or her car, or anyone found driving without a valid licence. The Ministry of Interior has already put up 200 screens and 50 more are to be added next month to monitor Cairo's streets. Traffic violations will be registered via these screens; accordingly traffic policemen will not be dealing with the public anymore in this regard. Last year more than 150,000 cars were licensed in Egypt, up from 40,000 in 2006. Where they park will soon become a major headache for car owners. Under the new law any car double parked will face a spot fine of up to LE500. "Local associations, authorities, companies and banks will in the future be obliged to establish garages and car parks for employees, otherwise building licence will be refused," says Gomaa. In addition, the owners of residential buildings that already contain garages will be legally obliged to open them. Figures released by the GTA reveal that 6,000 people are killed and 30,000 injured in road accidents in Egypt every year.
