Driving in a strange country is stressful enough, but falling foul of the local driving laws can be very worrying, and indeed costly. This article will advise you on what to expect when driving in Qatar, how to avoid an offence, where to check to see if you have committed an offence and if so how to go about settling any subsequent fine.
Driving in Qatar
Driving in Qatar is of a much lower standard that in most western countries. The most problematic areas appear to be roundabouts, where cars do not keep within their lanes and often are in the wrong lane for the turning they intend to take. This of course does not deter most drivers from trying to cut across other lanes to get to their destination! You will sometimes feel that you sit forever at a roundabout waiting for an opening and you will soon learn that you just have to go for it! If course if you do pause for too long you will be subtlety reminded by the person behind you whose hand will appear to be stuck to the horn! During busy times the roundabouts will be manned by police to control the flow of traffic. Be aware that some drivers will also tailgate and flash their lights if they consider that you are driving too slowly. In this situation you should if possible move over to another lane and avoid any ‘road rage’. In Qatar hand gestures can result in imprisonment. You will learn that a few choice mutterings to yourself will suffice!
Finding your way around Qatar is actually easier than you think when you first arrive. As long as you have your Marhaba map it’s hard to get really lost, despite the fact that most roads have no names! Doha is quite a small town really and you will find that you always stumble across a landmark sooner or later. The longer you are here the more confidence you will have and you will soon find yourself following other cars and finding short cuts, believe me you will make use of that four wheel drive option here!
Child car seats are not mandatory in Qatar and you will often see children bouncing around the car without being secured by even a seatbelt. I have actually seen several people driving with babies on their laps here and every time I see that it still shocks me to the core. I advise securing any children in a properly approved and fitted car seat at all times.
Speed cameras are located throughout Qatar so be vigilant and watch your speed. The fine for not stopping at a red light is now QR5,000 and beware as some lights appear to change from green to red with just a glimpse of amber!
If you do have an accident whilst in Qatar and if it is considered only a minor accident you are allowed to move the vehicle to the roadside. It is then advised that you obtain the driver’s details such as name, car registration, mobile number and ID number and then arrange a time for you both to meet at the traffic department in order to report the accident. However I would also advise that you take numerous photos, if possible, before you move the vehicle, just in case there is any debate at a later time. If you are involved in anything other than a minor accident (especially if anyone is injured) the traffic department advise that you do not move the vehicles but contact the police on 999.
It is worth mentioning here that if your vehicle is damaged in any way other than through an accident with another vehicle (i.e. backing into a lamppost, damage in a car park etc.) then you will be unable to get this damage repaired at a garage without a police report.
Traffic Offences and Penalties
In order to curb the high number of road deaths and reckless accidents (in 2007 there was a ratio of 30 deaths per 100,000 head of population compared to 5.5 per 100,000 in the UK) the Qatari government recently enacted a new traffic law. This introduces a new points based system and includes severe penalties which can lead to a driving ban.
In essence the new law states that:
1. When a driver reaches 14 points a diving licence may be suspended for three months;
2. If after the first ban the same person gathers a further 12 points their driving license will be suspended for six months;
3. Nine months on the accumulation of the next 10 points;
4. One year for the next eight points; and
5. Ultimately their driving license will be cancelled if the driver then accumulates another six points.
Once a driving licence has been cancelled it can only be issued again once the driver has re-taken his driving test.
In addition to the points, monetary fines can be, and are, severe.
A major difference between Qatar and most Western countries is that drivers are not informed here when a driving offence has been committed. Therefore it is vitally important that you check regularly to see if there is an offence against your vehicle. If you do not check regularly and you try to leave the country with a fine outstanding then it is likely that you will not be allowed to leave the country until it has been paid.
Luckily, with access to the internet it is very easy for you to check to see if any offences have been committed. The easiest way is to go to the Ministry of Interior (“MOI”) website (
www.moi.gov.qa). It is likely the window will open in Arabic in which case you should click on the “English” option. You will see a list of “E” Options which at the time of writing were located on the right hand side of the page. The sixth option is “Traffic Violations”. By clicking on this link an option to enter a licence plate number will appear. Enter your vehicle number and click submit. If there are no violations it will state “No Violations” or alternatively a list will appear and each offence will have a reference number, date, time, description (sometimes blank), location and number of points incurred together with the amount of the fine. There is an option at the bottom of the list called “settlement of fines”.
Alternatively there are a number of MOI booths located in and around Doha where you can settle the violations and have your points added to your licence (such as the city centre mall).
The following is just a selection of offences that are currently in force together with the number of points associated with each one.
|
Offence
|
Points
|
|
Jumping a red light
|
7
|
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Driving in the opposite direction
|
6
|
|
Exceeding the maximum speed
|
4
|
|
Driving recklessly and dangerously
|
4
|
|
Driving with defective brakes
|
4
|
|
Driving with inappropriate licence
|
3
|
|
Driving with stripped or invalid licence
|
3
|
|
Driving an unregistered vehicle
|
3
|
|
Driving a vehicle without number plates
|
3
|
|
Unauthorised changes made to number plates
|
3
|
|
Blocking the flow of traffic intentionally
|
3
|
|
Driving a polluting vehicle
|
3
|
|
Driving a vehicle that leaks any material that can damage the road
|
3
|
|
Driving a vehicle which drops loads which can endanger the public safety
|
3
|
|
Making a wrong U-turn
|
3
|
|
Parking offence
|
3
|
|
Giving the licence to someone who has no licence
|
2
|
|
Driving a vehicle with unclear number plates
|
2
|
|
Refraining from giving driving licence to traffic police
|
1
|
|
Using lights, horns, microphones, or other machines against the law
|
1
|
|
Disobeying traffic signs
|
1
|
Other useful websites
Enjoy your time here in Doha, don’t be afraid to get out there and explore, it really is worth the effort. Stay safe and happy motoring!